GOING FOR GOLD. STORY OF WLADYSLAW KOZAKIEWICZ

The story of legendary Polish pole vaulter Władysław Kozakiewicz. At the Olympic Games in Moscow in 1980, in front of millions of television viewers, he gives the Soviet spectators in the stadium the bras d’honneur, an unsporting and offensive gesture which is interpreted as political provocation. Back in Soviet-dominated Poland, Kozakiewicz becomes a national hero, winning enormous popularity and influence. But when his form wavers, sport activists faithful to the communist regime come down on him like a ton of bricks. Will the man who loves pole vaulting above all else succeed in returning to the top?

KSAWERY SZCZEPANIK
Born in Warsaw in 1978. A screenwriter and film director. A graduate of the Krzysztof Kieslowski Faculty of Radio and Television at the University of Silesia, he won a place on the Nipkow Programm, a Berlin-based fellowship and residency and attended the Ekran+ (Screen) and Development Lab programs run by the Wajda School in Warsaw. He is interested in Polish-German and Polish-Jewish dialogue, the fortunes and vicissitudes of the Polish diaspora and the glitter and shadows of fame. He is a running enthusiast.