MAURYCY POLEWSKI

A MAN GOING HIS OWN WAY

A young man approaching the verge of adulthood in a hyper-masculine, misogynist society starts to realize that the world might not be as simple as he thought.

BRENTON, a teenager is living in a secluded MGTOW (Men Going Their Own Way, a sexist masculinity-focussed ideology of men choosing to live without ties to women) village on a swamp together with his father, ABRAHAM and other members of the community.

The community lives in fear of THE SIREN, a strange call that threatens to lure the men into the water, they believe to be toxic. As BRENTON approaches adulthood, his recurring dreams of the siren and her constant call interfere with his initiation ceremony in a hyper-productive, oppressive village.

Daily indoctrination drives BRENTON further and further from the community, and slowly opens him up to his personal needs. ABRAHAM limiting his exploration out of fear of the outside world, in result stimulates BRENTON’S subconscious desire for the SIREN.

fter a disappointing talk with MANDY, the only other young man in the village, he gives in to the SIRENS call, almost drowning in the process, but ultimately escaping the village. Outside, he experiences a day of normalcy at a Berlin city beach, before, out of sense of obligation, returning home in the evening, having caught a small glimpse of mundanity.

Director’s Statement:

It’s strange to be a man these days. On the one hand, I feel that it’s an outdated concept and I feel like I’m something broader than just one gender, but on the other hand, I feel quite safe in my male identity. However, there are moments when I blame myself for certain habits that have remained with me from the process of male socialization, and I happen to treat them as if they weren’t there. Contemporary pressure on man to show vulnerability, in moments of crises, often triggered by mixes messages, activate inherent aggressive part of me, and the more I repress it, the more I hurt myself. I think we should sometimes take a step back, not to delay changes, but to understand where we come from and to appreciate how much it takes to change our internal patterns. Trying to build self-confidence out of arrogance is creaky.

I think men have the right to be men, and the difficulty of breaking this definition should be heard. However, I disagree with the path that the expression of this pain has taken nowadays. The internet is an infinite place, and if you search long enough, everyone will find a place for themselves, especially if the glue that binds your interactions with others is hatred and resentment. The internet supports radicalization that grows to mythical proportions, reminiscent of ancient beliefs, and laughter at this radicalization swells in the minds of young teenagers. It is easier to catch mermaids than to develop your personality, but it is also easier to become a mermaid than to understand resistance to gender equality.

I am in favor of personal development, of sharing your best qualities regardless of gender. I believe that we need to take young guys under our wings and hear out the root of rebellion against women’s emancipation. Because if not now, then when?

Brenton – Mateusz Górski
Abraham – Jakub Papuga
Mandy – Sammy Scheuritzel
The Soldier – Daniel Traub
The Fireman – Davide Jakubowski
The Prosecutor – Robert Schonk
The Siren – Magdo
Man in the village 1 – Uwe Rauer
Man in the village 2 – Thomas Fuchs
Man in the village 3 – Rudolf Schmidt
Man in the village 4 – Dieter Wolf
Woman 1 – Claudia Plöcki
Woman 2 – Birgit von Bally
Boy 1 – Will Bruder
Boy 2 – Hasan Valeriev
Boy 3 – Jonathan Kaplan
Old Man – Johannes Stolberg
Old Lady – Karin Mühlhoff

REGIE: Maurycy Polewski

WRITTEN BY: Maurycy Polewski & Jerri Bazata
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY – Kriti Dale
PRODUCERS: Lazar Mikov & Henry Kho

Sound Recordist – Rebeca Alvan-Leon
Boom Operator – Paul Pietrek
OBERBELEUCHTER / GAFFER
Leo Wolters & Theo Lustig
LICHTTECHNIK / LIGHTING ASSISTANTS- Herbert Ip, Eve Mcconnville, Saad Elhachimi
Production Designer – Reihaneh Mehrad
Set Designers – Lorenz Willkomm & Francesca Moorosanim
Costume Designers – Eva Maria Roelke & Anna Melnikova
Costume Design Assistant – Varvara Zakharova
Makeup Artist – Niccolò Brumat
Makeup Assistant – Johanna Lanchev

Original Score – Laurén Maria Kleist
Track – “Three Inside A Circle” by Charlie Cryer
MIXING ENGINEER- Alexandre Leser
FOLEY ARTIST- Peter Sandmann
EDITOR- Teresa Mirbaha
SOUND DESIGNER- Anton Buzal
VISUAL EFFECTS- Jagoda Wójtowicz
CATERING- Dana Hirsch
FIRST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR- Laura Polańska
1st Camera Assistant – Antoninette Dyksmann
2nd Camera Assistant – Henry Kingsbury

PRODUCTION MANAGER- Henry Kho
Production Assistant – Ayse Gül Var
SET MANAGERS- Daniel Beschareti & Aurelia Pisana
Set Runner – Dennis Budin
EXECUTIVE PRODUCTION – Philipp M. Raube
Produktionskoordination (DFFB) – Katharina Roth
TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT CONSULTANT- DFFB
PRODUCTION ACCOUNTANT DFFB – Ines Raak
POSTPRODUCTION ENGINEER – Olaf Högermeyer & Ingo Schumacher

COLORIST – Tobias Wiedmer
POSTPRODUCTION COORDINATOR- Vivien Rosenberg
CONSULTING LECTURERS -Athanasios Karanikolas & Hannah Schwegel
HEAD OF STUDIES -Friederike Steinbeck

SPECIAL THANKS TO:
Eliza Hojnacka
Floating University
25p rental
Andec Filmtechnik
Studio 1141
Anna Orzeszek
Xandra Popescu

CREDITS GRAPHIC DESIGN -Zirrte & Maurycy Polewski