World premiere of long-awaited film Chłopi sends viewers wild as it receives standing ovation during screening at Toronto film festival
The long-awaited world premiere of the film Chłopi has received a standing ovation after being screened at the Toronto Film Festival (TIFF).
Based on the book of the same name by Polish author Władysław Reymont, the new film uses painting-based animations to tell the classic story of life in the Polish countryside over a century ago.
Writing on X (formerly known as Twitter) one reviewer described the production as “one of the greatest achievements in animation I have ever seen.”
The book (translated as “The Peasants” in English) was written in four parts and published between 1904 and 1909.
In 1924 it won the Nobel Prize for Literature.
The new film is the work of filmmakers Dorota Kobiela and her husband Hugh Welshman, the couple behind the award-winning Loving Vincent about painter Vincent van Gough.
Now the novel has been brought to the screen by filmmakers Dorota Kobiela and her husband Hugh Welshman, the couple behind the award-winning Loving Vincent about painter Vincent van Gough.
Kobiela whose new film centres on the character of a young woman called Jagna said: “After years of working on a film about Vincent van Gogh, I felt a strong need to talk about women: their struggle, passion and strength.”
With the artwork based on the works of Young Poland painters - primarily Józef Chełmoński, but also Leon Wyczółkowski and Ferdynand Ruszczyc – actors played out the scenes before over 100 artists went through the performances frame by frame to manually repaint them.
Receiving rave reviews, critic Larry Fried of Geek Vibes Nation described the film as “utterly captivating."
Writing on X (formerly known as Twitter) he said: "One of the greatest achievements in animation I have ever seen.
“A huge step forward from 'Loving Vincent' in almost every respect and a completely gripping, epic story in its own right."
MJ O'Toole from Hammer to Nail wrote: "Standing ovation for the film 'The Peasants' directed by DK Welchman and Hugh Welchman.
“Tens of thousands of oil-painted frames and not a single one was wasted. Get ready for it to take your breath away.”
Meanwhile, Madeleine Williams from Cinemaster said: "The Peasants" is a wonderful animated film that additionally draws attention to the Polish historical drama about the tragedy of a young rural woman."
Kamila Urzędowska plays the role of Jagna and Robert Gulaczyk that of Antek.
With the artwork based on the works of Young Poland painters - primarily Józef Chełmoński, but also Leon Wyczółkowski and Ferdynand Ruszczyc – actors played out the scenes before over 100 artists went through the performances frame by frame to manually repaint them.
The main characters were played by Kamila Urzędowska (Jagna), Robert Gulaczyk (Antek), Mirosław Bak (Boryna) and Sonia Mietelica (Hanka) with music composed by Łukasz L.U.C.
With smaller screenings in Poland beginning on 19 September at the Polish Feature Film Festival in Gdynia, the official national premiere is scheduled for October 13.
