Venice – The highly anticipated film “Woman Of,” directed by Malgorzata Szumowska and Michal Englert, made its world debut at the Venice Film Festival on Friday. The movie, set against the backdrop of socially conservative Poland, chronicles the journey of a man transitioning to a woman and aspires to reshape deeply ingrained prejudices within the predominantly Roman Catholic nation.
This premiere comes just a month ahead of parliamentary elections that could potentially grant Poland’s ruling nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party an unprecedented third term in office. Critics have accused the PiS party of exacerbating anti-LGBTQ sentiments in the country, prompting the creators of “Woman Of” to hope their film can transform the discourse surrounding transgender issues.
In an exclusive interview with Reuters TV, co-director Malgorzata Szumowska emphasized the film’s subtle and unifying approach, stating, “It’s not a militant film; it has a very delicate tone. What we’ve been trying to do, we’ve been trying to unite. We’ve been trying to build a kind of bridge.”
The narrative of “Woman Of” spans critical moments in the protagonist’s life, from childhood to marriage, parenthood, and ultimately her transition. The film uses Poland’s post-communist transformation as both a backdrop and a metaphor for its central plot, highlighting the complex relationship between societal change and personal transformation.
Despite Poland’s significant political and social changes over the past three decades, LGBT rights remain a contentious issue, with PiS leveraging opposition to these rights as a means of garnering support. Party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski has previously made controversial comments about transgender individuals during voter meetings, trivializing their experiences to the amusement of his audience.
Szumowska pointed out, “Politicians speak out like it’s an evil, they use it as a threat.”
In Poland, same-sex civil unions are still prohibited, and individuals seeking to legally change their gender must navigate a challenging legal process, often involving legal battles with their own parents. This means that unwilling parents can obstruct their child’s transition.
Given the relative rarity of transitioning in Poland until recent years, the film’s directors faced difficulties in finding a transgender actor to portray the older Aniela as she confronts bureaucratic hurdles and biases in her small provincial hometown. As a result, they cast veteran actress Malgorzata Hajewska-Krzysztofik.
Szumowska explained, “We discussed the possible casting with a group of our trans consultants, and they said ‘yes,’ in this situation we have to have a professional actress to play the part.”
“Woman Of” is one of the 23 films competing for the prestigious Venice Golden Lion award, with the winner set to be announced on Saturday, adding to the anticipation surrounding the film’s impact and reception.