Zygmunt Bauman’s Love Europe World

Directed by: Krzysztof Rzączyński
Director of Photography: Michał Popiel-Machnicki
Music: Rafał Kulczycki
Music Production: Sirens

In a less than an hour documentary, divided into four parts: Culture, Europe, World, About Myself, reflections by Zygmunt Bauman on culture and times that we live in („Our culture is not the culture of education anymore but the culture of forgetfulness”, „The ultimate result of the peak development of culture, which undoubtedly has been occurring in recent years, is the sense of being lost.”), and the role of Europe  in building a global order („Europe is good at developing skills of living in the company of communities other than our own”, „No thesis regarding the superiority of one  culture above another  cannot be maintained today.”)  interweave with his personal stories.  The authors of the movie managed to create a portrait of one of major contemporary sociologists, constructed from his daughters’ statements and private conversations of protagonists,   with a family history in the background.   It is the more valuable as Zygmunt Bauman is known for his reluctance to personal confessions and when asked about his own life, his reply would be that  “it is the most boring of all topics that he would like and care to talk about”.  The movie was shot in Leeds where Zygmunt Bauman and Lidia and Irena, his two younger daughters,  live, in Warsaw, where in November professor received a Gold Medal Gloria Artis – Distinguished Service for Culture from the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, and in Tel-Aviv where Anna Sfard, his eldest daughter, lives.  The authors of the movie, Krzysztof Rzączyński, director, and Michał Popiel-Machnicki, director of photography, have received Grand Prix at the Independent National Review of Documentary Forms for their previous documentary about Andrzej Panufnik and his son;  an honorable mention in the last year’s edition of Planet Doc Review, a nomination for Golden Nymph award  at Monte-Carlo Television Festival, and in the category of “Best Current Affairs Production” at History Maker Awards festival in New York.