Film is a channel of communication that builds community, identity, and collective memory. According to PISF data, in 2024, 128 feature films were produced, including 37 historical films. As many as 11 of the latter made it to international festivals. “Reality is changing, we must reach younger generations,” said Dr. Marcin Zarzecki, deputy director of the History Stops Bureau at the IPN, moderator of the discussion at the 17th NNW International Film Festival. The panel included Magdalena Hajduk, director of the IPN Bureau of New Technologies and advisor to the President of Poland, Agata Miklaszewska, poet and co-creator of the musical Metro and many others, Pino Valente, guide to the Monte Cassino battlefield and president of the Cassino M.i.A. Association, Tomasz Łysiak, director, writer, screenwriter, creator of the series Trail of Hope. The Battle of Monte Cassino, and Krzysztof Nowak, director (including the film Versailles 1919), screenwriter, and co-creator of the Gorzów Philharmonic.
“How to tell a story, how to engage young people with it?” – this is the fundamental question that always comes up in conversations among filmmakers and one that the panelists tried to answer.
Magdalena Hajduk: “As the Bureau of New Technologies, we commissioned research, from which we learned that we need to change our offerings to reach younger generations. After several months, we implemented the first project, THE CODE GAME, which, among other things, showcases Polish heroism. One of the conclusions from the research was that young people need to see and know their country as powerful and victorious, because through this they learn its history better, build love for their country, and develop patriotism. Modern technologies, however, must be based on historical sources, and this is key. To create a narrative using new technologies, you always need a human – a sensitive human who can tell a story. Translating it into new technologies is just a set of tools. For example, we wanted to present the Ulm family in such a way that young people would not only see the suffering of the heroes but would also reflect on their own lives and on civil courage.“
Agata Miklaszewska: “What matters is what you have to say. A few years ago, my late sister Maryna and I came up with the idea of a musical set during the time when Gdynia was being built. The main character was supposed to be a boy coming from abroad. Unfortunately, a musical cannot be made without funding, and we were unable to obtain it, which I don’t regret – perhaps now it’s worth exploring other means of expression to tell the story.“
Tomasz Łysiak: “While preparing a five-episode documentary series, we thought that people wanted to listen and watch our history, so we must learn to listen to others. The Battle of Monte Cassino is a tremendous opportunity to tell Polish history to the world. Soldiers from all over the globe fought there. By telling our story, we tell theirs. With this approach, we have a chance to reach a wide audience. This was a fundamental issue at the start of this production. At the festival, we continually return to the same starting point in our discussions – we must make good films. We always want to tell literally everything about our history, and that is a mistake. We must choose stories that will move everyone’s hearts. If they are truly good stories, we can succeed with them.“
Pino Valente: “We face the same challenges in engaging young people with history. Thanks to informational panels placed along the Polish Sappers’ Route, we can show a lot, but first, young people need to be prepared. When you enter the battlefield, literally filled with signs of the past, each one can become a code, a cipher that must be discovered – this approach is attractive to youth. But during the tour itself, there is not enough time to tell everything, to build a comprehensive message. An interesting point came up in the discussion – the word ‘victory.’ From my experience, when we talk about victory, young people are more willing to listen. At the same time, this allows us to seek the truth. Today, we are not accustomed to speaking about truth. This truth can be sought by following the footsteps of Poles at Monte Cassino. The 2nd Polish Corps not only fought here but also left behind a recorded memory.“
Krzysztof Nowak: “I structure film production so that the rights are not owned by a television station or another distributor. The Internet has changed the market – we are no longer dependent on television, and they no longer dictate terms. This is especially beneficial for documentary films. The Internet is a meeting place between audiences and films. I should add that I am the grandson of one of Anders’ soldiers, and I do not need convincing that this history remains underutilized. The figure of Gen. Anders is still not widely known, and yet he is one of the few heroes accepted by all Poles regardless of political views – he emerged unscathed from our conflicts and has unifying potential. Such narratives are necessary to rebuild a sense of community. It is also worth remembering that history is always contemporary. In what we tell, there is always a reference to the reality in which we live.“