Szamanka

The screening on October 4th will be introduced by writer Daniel Bird.

The screening on October 15th will be introduced by filmmaker Craig Williams.

Michał, a reserved anthropology professor, uncovers the perfectly preserved remains of a 3,000-year-old shaman during an excavation in a marsh. Around the same time, he meets a mysterious, impulsive young woman known only as ‘the Italian.’ Drawn to her raw, untamed energy, Michał begins a feverish and increasingly destructive affair with her. As their relationship spirals into obsession, he becomes haunted by visions connected to the ancient shaman. The boundaries between science and mysticism, reason and primal instinct, begin to dissolve, pulling Michał into a world where erotic desire and death become inseparably intertwined.

Iwona Petry, who played the mysterious ‘Italian,’ had no prior acting experience. Żuławski reportedly discovered her in a Warsaw café and offered her the lead role on the spot. Due to its graphic sexuality and critiques of religious and social norms, the film caused major controversy in Poland. Some nicknamed it ‘Last Tango in Warsaw,’ and screenings were limited in certain areas.

Daniel Bird is a writer based in France. Since interviewing him as a student, he has worked frequently with Andrzej Żuławski, helping with the North American release of the director’s cut of Possession, as well as assisting with subtitling, restorations, and script editing. Alongside curated programmes at Ciné Lumière and the Horse Hospital, Daniel has also worked with some of Żuławski’s key collaborators including composer Andrzej Korzyński, cinematographer Andrzej J. Jaroszewicz, and costume designer Magdalena Tesławska.

Cast:
Iwona Petry, Bogusław Linda

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Part of Devils and Shamans: The Films of Andrzej Żuławski Andrzej Żuławski, Poland, 1996, 117m.