Polish Film Festival SYDNEY 2023 I SONATA

PERTH Icarus

SONATA

AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE

VOTE

SONATA

drama I 2021 I Poland

SATURDAY 20/5/2023 6:30pm

RITZ CINEMAS

Original Title: Sonata

Duration: 118 min

Language: Polish with English subtitles

Director: Bartosz Blaschke

Writer: Bartosz Blaschke

Cast: Małgorzata Foremniak, Michał Sikorski,

Łukasz Simlat, Konrad Kakol, Irena Melcer,

Lech Dyblik, Jerzy Stuhr

Set in the majestic Tatra Mountains, a deeply moving story of a unique musician and his incredible journey to achieve the impossible. Winner of 8 international film festivals, the film is based on true story of pianist Grzegorz Plonka, who as a child was misdiagnosed as autistic, only to learn many years later that the cause of his distant behaviour is serious hearing loss.

On the eve of his 15th birthday, Grzegorz Płonka's family learns that the cause of his distant behaviour isn't autism but a major hearing impairment. Born prematurely and misdiagnosed as an autistic child, he was sent to school together with severely impaired children, learning absolutely nothing. When implanted with a cochlear implant, Grzegorz discovers speech, sound, and music, with which he falls in love. It turns out that underneath his disability, great musical talent has been hidden for many years.

A beautiful true story of unbelievable determination and passion filled with music and stunning mountain landscapes.

"It captures a special poignancy, knowing what Grześ has been through, and what he will still have to endure, with the odds so cruelly against him. Sonata also garnered the Audience Award at Gdynia, and this fact goes some way to explaining its distinct appeal and its accessibility to practically any viewer."
— David Katz, Cineuropa

"Stylishly made, sensitive yet honestly directed but never shallow, this deserves wider attention" — MIB

BARTOSZ BLASCHKE

He graduated in Cinematography and Photography at the Krzysztof Kieślowski FilmSchool at the University of Silesia and the Andrzej Wajda Master School of FilmDirecting in Warsaw. In 2021, he made his debut as director and screenwriter of the full-length feature film "Sonata". He is also the director of the short film "My father's eyes" (2015), documentary series "Patrol Tatry"(2019) and "The Neighbours" (2005), and a documentary short film "Ziętek" (2008). Blaschke is a two-time winner in the SCRIPT PRO screenwriting competition for: "Sonata" (2018, 2nd place) and "Felicia &Jesus" (2014, 3rd place). He is also the author of scripts for many polish tv series like "Na dobre i na złe" (2016), "Strażacy" (2015), "Ojciec Mateusz" (2014), "Nad rozlewiskiem" (2012).