Directed by: Paweł Podolski
Starring: Magdalena Maścianica, Michał Sikorski, Bartłomiej Kotschedoff, Małgorzata Rożniatowska
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Although Paweł Podolski may not be remembered as the first Polish filmmaker to direct a vampire comedy, Życie dla początkujących (Life for Beginners) stands as the first Polish production within a genre that remains largely unexplored in European cinema. It is worth noting, however, that Roman Polański had already ventured into similar territory, well ahead of its time, with The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967). That said, Polanski’s film was a UK–USA co-production and thus does not represent a fully Polish cinematic endeavour in the genre.
In contrast to Polanski’s period piece—with its castle halls, dark cloaks, and exaggerated fangs (the latter appear only once in Life for Beginners)—Podolski’s first full-length film is set in a contemporary environment: a retirement home, where the vampire nurse Monia (Magdalena Maścianica) discreetly feeds on the blood of elderly residents. Czarek (Michał Sikorski), the grandson of one of the retirement home’s most demanding guests, the gruff and kleptomaniac Krystyna (Małgorzata Rożniatowska), uncovers Monia’s secret.
The relationship between Monia and Czarek is marked by a delicate balance of mutual complicity and mistrust, yet something deeper gradually begins to emerge between them. To complicate matters, a second vampire enters the elder care facility, Mirek (Bartłomiej Kotschedoff), who is far less discreet than Monia when it comes to sourcing blood. Mirek can no longer bear the burden of immortality, and Monia is the only one capable of ending his suffering. The question remains: will she and Czarek be able to change his mind?
Although aimed at a younger audience, this two-hander romantic comedy—featuring a depressed vampire handcuffed to one of the protagonists—is also a heartfelt tribute to older adults, encouraging them to enjoy life as fully as possible, preferably outdoors. In one of the film’s most irreverent scenes, the young protagonists organize a wild bonfire together with the residents of the retirement home.
A graduate of the Gdynia Film School, Podolski brings together in Life for Beginners a vibrant ensemble of relatively unknown young and senior actors in a sharply written film, produced on a shoestring budget with, both literally and metaphorically, a few drops of fake blood. On the other hand, Maścianica is a talent ready to break out on the big screen. Podolski’s vampire comedy won the Polish Feature Film Competition sidebar at the Mastercard OFF CAMERA 2025 it would deserve a more than decent than theatrical release, at least in domestic cinemas.
Film Reviewed by Giuseppe Sedia
Published by Kino Mania on July 25, 2025