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Unconditional Love

DirectorRafal Lysak
ProducerProdukcja Filmow Jacek Blawut
WriterRafal Lysak
EditorPiotr Wojcik
CameraMichal Luka, Zofia Dabrowska, Rafal Lysak
SoundRafal Lysak, Piotr Pliszka
ScreeningSaturday 9 November | 15:00 hours | Filmhuis Den Haag
Saturday 9 November | 16:30 hours | Theater en Filmhuis Dakota
Sunday 10 November | 16:30 hours | Filmhuis Den Haag
Original TitleMILOSC BEZWARUNKOWA
Year2018
Length40 min
CountryPoland
SubtitlesEnglish
SectionDocumentaries Open Debates / Talents from the East

A grandma and her gay grandson trying to find the way towards mutual acceptance and unconditional love in this very honest, personal story full of emotions and humor.

Synopsis

Is understanding between a deeply religious 80-year-old woman and her gay grandson possible? Are they able to overcome their beliefs in the name of love? A compelling documentary and intimate journey of the director Rafal, who was raised by his grandmother Teresa and treated her as a second mother. She has invested all her love and hope in him until he told her about his homosexuality. The news broke her heart. She sees no other way of life for the young man than marrying a woman.

Festivals & Awards (selection)

Krakow Film Festival, 2018 – Golden Hobby-Horse for Best Film in Polish Competition | IDFA, 2018 – International Premiere | One World International Human Rights DFF, Czech Republic 2019 | Neisse Film Festival, Germany 2019 – Best Documentary | Istanbul Documentary Days, 2019 | Molodist, Kyiv International Film Festival, 2019 – Best Short Film, Audience Award, Prize of the Ecumenical Jury | Gdansk DocFilm Festival, 2019 – Audience Award | Rudnik International Film Festival, Russia 2019 – Best Short Film

Director’s statement

It was probably the first time in my life when I felt I had to fight for something and it was kind of a fight with my grandma, a fight for this approval. Although I believe that you can’t change a person, especially at that age, my grandma proves that sometimes it’s worth fighting for approval, a compromise, at least… Somebody said that before we start fighting for peace in the world, we should try to have this kind of peace around our family table.