Niepełny Kadr, workshops about film and love

In Mokrzeszów, near Świdnica, the Occupational Therapy Workshop dedicated to people with intellectual disabilities has been operating for over twenty years. For a long time now, the OTW has also been collaborating with the Świdnica Cultural Center and the Wrocław Film Foundation, within which the project Niepełny Kadr is currently being carried out. Last week, the participants of the OTW took part in workshops on mindful film watching under the theme: What is love?

“The Spektrum Festival, which is undoubtedly a celebration of film, is fast approaching, which is why we are starting preparations to be able to watch films more thoroughly, more attentively, more precisely, and with full understanding – with the idea of having a meaningful discussion,” says Julia Bartosz, one of the workshop leaders and the director of Spektrum.

As part of the Niepełny Kadr project, the participants of the Occupational Therapy Workshop in Mokrzeszów took part in classes introducing them to issues related to documentary cinema. The first (and not at all easy) question asked was: What is love?

The workshop participants shared what this feeling meant to them and how they understood it. Afterwards, a screening of the film Crazy Love took place, telling the story of two people with intellectual disabilities, both with Down syndrome. The couple had just decided to move in together – despite several obstacles.

After the film, Lech Moliński conducted a mindful watching quiz – a fun game with a touch of competition, in which participants answered questions about the film. Everyone who took part in the class also had the chance to talk about their favorite scene. It turned out that all had watched Martyna Peszko’s documentary very attentively and carefully.

The more difficult, yet most reflective part of the meeting turned out to be a discussion around the question: is the relationship of the film’s protagonists possible, and if so, how and on what terms could it function?

The first workshops were an extraordinary experience – highly educational and enriching in terms of learning to view film images with reflection, awareness, understanding, and thoughtfulness.

During the 11th Spektrum Film Festival, which will take place between October 21–26 in Świdnica, and also in Trutnov, Czech Republic (October 23–26), the participants of the OTW in Mokrzeszów will once again act as jurors and grant their award to a chosen film competing in the Okiem Młodych short fiction category.

The Niepełny Kadr project is co-financed by the National Center for Culture – Interventions Program.