Starring: Piotr Kamont
Directed by: Piotr Ivan Ivanov, Krzysztof Dziomdziora
Rating: ★★★☆☆
The ‘river movie’ genre may already have had its moment of glory with the Golden Lion winning Chinese masterpiece Still Life (2006) set along the banks of the Yangtze. Apparently, a smooth mix of fiction and documentary shot beside a river has become a recipe for critical acclaim at film festivals. Unfortunately, the Vistula is six times shorter than the Yangtze and the disproportion between the budget of Wszystko płynie (Flowing) and Jia Zhangke’s masterpiece is even more extreme.
A seasoned volunteer at the sole lifeguard station on the Vistula claims that the Poles have turned their back on the Vistula, but Piotr Ivan Ivanov and Krzysztof Dziomdziora seem content to wander its length uncritically. Filmed with dexterity by Jan Prosiński this fluvial ode doesn’t feature too much political pamphleteering about environmental issues. As the original title suggests ‘everything flows’ for an amateur boatman who navigates only for the pleasure of the experience.
Despite the fact that the fictional fragments do not always harmonise with the travel footage, the whole is nicely cemented together by a classy indie-folk soundtrack. The melancholic tunes of Polish breakthrough artists such as Adam Repucha and Paula & Karol help and enhance the viewer’s journey through each scene. As a collage of visual impressions patiently assembled over two years, Flowing may entice lovers of the documentary.
Originally published by The Krakow Post on May 19, 2012