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Julia is a beloved daughter, wife, and successful artist-photographer, living a happy life. Suddenly, everything changes. The death of the family dog is followed by her mother’s cancer diagnosis, and her husband’s absence leaves her to care for her father. 33 Scenes From Life explores the moment when we shift from childhood to adulthood, facing pain, suffering, and inevitable doubts. This film won the Locarno Special Jury Prize and was also selected for the Toronto Film Festival in 2008.
Malgorzata Szumowska (1973) and Michal Englert (1975) have been working together since their years at Lódz’s famed film school. After a series of short movies that soon revealed Szumowska as a valuable new voice, she directed her debut feature, Happy Man (2000). From here she begins a solid and abundant filmography in collaboration with Michal Englert, present in all major competitions, of which stand out titles such as Elles, starring Juliette Binoche; Body, Best Director at the Berlinale; or Mug, Grand Prize of the Jury at the same festival. In 2023, their last film Woman of… was presented at the Venice Film Festival in the main competition.
This film is being shown as part of a Close-up dedicated to Malgorzata Szumowska and Michal Englert Englert.
Co-organized by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute as part of the international cultural program of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2025