The cinema audience could hardly fit into Antoni Bohdziewicz Hall where they watched the film with interest, after which they took part in a meeting with the filmmakers.

The success of the film KOS results from a breath of freshness in the way of telling the story and in the way of using film craft. The author of the former is Michał A. Zieliński, a screenwriter making his debut in the feature film.

“For me and for Paweł Maślona, the key thing is for the film narrative to be engaging and interesting - wrestling with historical facts comes second”, the screenwriter admitted.

Zieliński originally planned a series about Kościuszko, the action of which would also include episodes from the American War for Independence. This is how he recalled delving into Kościuszko's biography:

“There were threads to tick off, Kościuszko fought in every battle. I quickly abandoned the idea, though. I only returned to it when I came across the character of Jean Domingo Lapierre.”

As a result, the film - defined as such by the director during the FPFF in Gdynia - took on the characteristics of a western because Kościuszko's adjutant, freed from captivity, directed the filmmakers' attention to this particular cultural trope.

“I thought that Kościuszko, who returns from the United States after many years, is like a sheriff who returns to a town where there is lawlessness. In a sense, Poland in 1794 displayed such lawlessness, banks were bankrupt, the war was lost.”

The genesis of the villain, Stanisław Duchnowski, played by Piotr Pacek, who was present at the meeting, was slightly more complicated.

“It was liberating,” the actor said, referring to playing a black character. He got involved in the project without hesitation. “Fortunately, in addition to the information that it was a costume film, I also received information that Aurum Films was in charge of the production and that Paweł Maślona was the director, so I didn't have time to get scared,” said Pacek, joking about how challenging costume cinema is. Returning to his role in the film, the actor emphasized the favourable atmosphere on the set, in which everyone felt good, regardless of experience.

At the end of the conversation, Michał A. Zieliński mentioned that he planned to work in gamedev. Piotr Pacek told the audience that he will be on the set of the latest project in just two months. During the conversation with the creators, there were also serious tones, such as the question about making a film with a Russian as the main negative character or the topic of society's polarization, although the dominant issues were issues or questions related to the production side of Paweł Maślona's film, and above all, the enthusiastic reactions of the audience during the meeting.

The meeting was hosted by Agata Gwizdała.

photos: M. Zacharow