Polish Film Highlights LATTC Festival
“The Death of Captain Pilecki” is a difficult story to watch. The film is about Witold Pilecki, a Polish hero who sacrificed his life for his belief that Poland should be a free country. It is an emotionally-charged drama, a stark look at a man who refused to bend to political pressure. The film stars actor Marek Probosz as Pilecki in a portrayal that brings real life to this historical figure. The movie was the highlight of the Los Angeles Trade Technical College Language Arts and Humanities Foreign Film Festival coordinated by Dr. Rodrigo Palacios. The film has been screened just a few times in the United States and has captured awards for its portrayal of Pilecki and the former Polish regime. LATTC was extremely fortunate that Probosz himself attended the LATTC screening and talked about the filming, his role and the place that Pilecki now occupies in Polish history. Probosz says the film was completed on a very small $200,000 budget, and was shot in the same prison that Pilecki was held. More than 250 people watched the screening in the LATTC Grand Theater and then were treated to a question-and-answer session with Probosz. He talked about the role and the importance of the film. There were many Trade Tech students on hand for the screening as well as members of the Polish community in Los Angeles . The cultural consul from the Polish consulate also attended. It was a great mix of cultural arts and education right here on this campus! 080421