Polish Film Festival Sydney 2025 I VINCI 2

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VINCI

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VINCI

comedy, action I 2004 I Poland

Original Title: VINCI

Duration: 118 min

Language: Polish with English subtitles

Director: Juliusz Machulski

Cast: Robert Więckiewicz, Borys Szyc,

Kamila Baar, Marcin Dorociński,

Jan Machulski, Łukasz Simlat, Dorota Kolak

A box-office hit from veteran crime and comedy director Juliusz Machulski is a slick, Cracow-set heist film that captivates audiences with its smart plot, sharp humour and the brilliant on-screen duo of Robert Więckiewicz and Borys Szyc.

A seasoned art thief freshly out of prison Robert “Cuma” Cuminski is tasked with stealing one of Poland’s greatest treasures — Leonardo da Vinci’s Lady with an Ermine. To pull off the heist he recruits his old partner Julian, a former explosives expert who has since left his criminal past behind. Torn between loyalty to the man who once protected him and the desire to live an honest life, Julian hatches a double plan. He agrees to join the job, but secretly sets out to sabotage it — starting by commissioning a forgery of the painting to Magda, a talented art conservation student at the Cracow Academy of Fine Arts.

JULIUSZ MACHULSKI

Director, screenwriter, and producer Juliusz Machulski is one of the most well known figures in Polish cinema. His directorial debut, Vabank, quickly became a box office hit, while his cult classic Sexmission drew over 12 million viewers in Poland within a year of its release, securing its place as the most popular Polish comedy of all time. Machulski’s historical drama Squadron, which he wrote, directed, and produced, was Poland’s official submission to the 1993 Academy Awards. He also produced Agnieszka Holland’s In Darkness, nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2012 Oscars. His extensive filmography includes iconic titles such as Vabank II, Kingsajz, and Kiler, along with numerous television plays.

Machulski is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including six Golden Lions at the Gdynia Film Festival, the Crystal Globe at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Polish Film Academy Eagles, the Warsaw Mermaid from the Polish Journalists Association, and the Golden Tape from the Polish Filmmakers Association.