Synopsis
The Hamlet Syndrome depicts the young Ukrainian generation scarred by war and political breakthroughs. The film’s starting point is the preparation for a play based on the motifs of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, which, combined with an intense glimpse into the lives of the characters, creates a powerful portrait of a generation having to confront their war trauma and tackle the painful past, which now after the Russia’s invasion of Ukraine becomes their present and future alike.
Press
“The directors do leave that emotionally charged room sometimes, allowing for glimpses into this group’s private life or welcoming other people who are just as hurt. In a way, The Hamlet Syndrome captures how frustrating this conflict must be for the entire nation, tired of fighting and asking for help for so many years now”.
CINEUROPA
“The Hamlet Syndrome is the product of a well-oiled collaboration between the co-directors who firmly hold their positions as passive- (Rosolowski) and active observers (Niewiera). The camera movement is mostly fluid, paced in tact with the movement of the documentary’s protagonists”.
UBIQUARIAN.NET
“The Hamlet Syndrome, winner of the Krakow Film Festival, is an extraordinary portrait of Ukraine standing in solidarity in danger despite the differences that divide it”.
GAZETA WYBORCZA
Awards
Krakow Film Festival, Poland, Winner of Golden Hobby-Horse and special mention in the International Competition – 2022
Roman Brodmann Prize, Germany, Winner – 2022
Locarno Film Festival, Italy, Grand Prix Semaine de la critique – 2022
Director's Biography
Elwira is a Polish/German director and screenwriter based in Berlin. In her artistic work, she focuses primarily on social and cultural transformations in Eastern Europe. Her feature documentary debut, Bulgarian Stories was presented at a number of international film festivals and had art-house cinema distribution in Germany. Elwira worked also as first assistant director and researcher on the Oscar nominated documentary film Rabbit a la Berlin. Since 2008 she has been an Executive Director of the Polish-German cultural foundation Nowa Ameryka.
Polish director, screenwriter, and cinematographer based in Berlin, Piotr graduated from the Katowice Film School and was awarded an Academy of Media Arts scholarship in Cologne. Piotr co-directed together with Elwira Niewiera already three successful feature documentaries: Domino Effect prized at the Krakow Film Festival and DOK Leipzig, The Prince and the Dybbuk awarded with the Lion for Best Documentary on Cinema at the 74th Venice Film Festival, and The Hamlet Syndrome honored with Grand Prix Semaine de la critique at the 75th Locarno Film Festival.
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