Papusza

Papusza is based on the true story of the Roma poet Bronisława Wajs (1908‐1987). The film follows Papusza's life from birth to old age: arranged marriage as a small girl, her life in a gypsy tabor before, during and after the Second World War, then forced settlement in communist Poland and urban life in poverty. Her meeting with the Polish poet Jerzy Ficowski, who discovered her great talent for poetry and published her works led to a tragic paradox: a famous poet was living in poverty, rejected by the Roma community for betraying their secrets. With beautiful monochrome photography, Papusza gives insight into the Roma way of life, soon to be swept away by WWII and the following communist regime. Speaking mostly in the Romani language, the ensemble of actors includes mostly non-professionals from Roma families.