The Peasants

Chłopi

64th TIFF: Greek Premiere

Making use of the same technique and approach as the unforgettable Loving Vincent, the husband-and-wife directorial duo brings Vladislav Stanislaw Raymond's novel of the same name to the big screen, resulting in a stunning blend of cinema, painting, and animation. More than a hundred painters from four different countries meticulously hand-painted the frames of the film – many of them recreating renowned works of Polish art – which was initially shot with regular actors before the animators took charge. A tale of forbidden erotic passion set in a small rural community in Poland at the beginning of the 20th century, explores the primal connection between humans and nature, the changing of seasons, the lost traditions of a world fading on the horizon, the underlying social transformations, and the nearly allegorical timelessness that defines class and family conflicts.

Screening Schedule

No physical screenings scheduled.


Direction: DK Welchman, Hugh Welchman
Script: DK Welchman, Hugh Welchman
Cinematography: Radosław Ładczuk, Kamil Polak, Szymon Kuriata
Editing: DK Welchman, Patrycja Piróg, Miki Węcel
Sound: Michał Jankowski
Music: Łukasz “L.U.C.” Rostkowski
Actors: Kamila Urzędowska, Robert Gulaczyk, Mirosław Baka, Sonia Mietielica, Ewa Kasprzyk, Cezary Łukaszewicz, Małgorzata Kożuchowska, Sonia Bohosiewicz
Production: Chłopi Sp. z o.o., Breakthru Films
Producers: Sean Bobbitt, Hugh Welchman
Co-production: Digitalkraft d o.o., Art. Shot vsį, Breakthru Productions Sp. z o.o., Canal + Polska S.A., Narodowe Centrum Kultury, Mazowiecki Instytut Kultury, SKP Ślusarek Kubiak Pieczyk Sp. k.
Co-producers: Ivan Pribicevic, Jelena Angelovski, Agne Adomene
Costumes: Katarzyna Lewińska
Production Design: Elwira Pluta
Executive producer: Laurie Ubben, Steve Muench, Sita Saviolo, DK Welchman, Kyle Stroud, Tom Ogden
Make Up: Waldemar Pokromski, Mirosława Wojtczak
Format: DCP
Color: Color
Production Country: Poland, Serbia, Lithuania
Production Year: 2023
Duration: 114'
Distribution in Greece: Cinobo
Contact: New Europe Film Sales
Awards/Distinctions: Crystal Star Elle Award, Chopard Loves Cinema – Chopard & W. Kruk Award 2023, Special Jury Prize, Audience Award – Polish Film Festival (2023)

DK Welchman

DK Welchman is a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, awarded the Minister of Culture scholarship for special achievements in painting and graphics 4 times. Upon graduation, DK became interested in film and animation, and directed five short films before her first feature film, the Oscar-nominated Loving Vincent.

Filmography

2006 Serce na dłonie (short)
2006 Świadek Czasu (documentary)
2017 Chopin’s Drawings (short)
2017 Little Postman (short)
2017 Loving Vincent
2023 The Peasants

Hugh Welchman

Hugh Welchman co-wrote and directed Loving Vincent with his wife DK Welchman (formerly Dorota Kobiela). The film grossed $43 million at the international box office and was nominated at the BAFTAs, Golden Globes, and for an Academy Award. Previously, Hugh won an Oscar for Best Short Animation for producing BreakThru Film’s Peter and the Wolf.

Filmography

2017 Loving Vincent
2023 The Peasants