THE LURE

THE LURE
Directed by Agnieszka Smoczyńska
Production Company: WFDiF
Chełmska 21
00-724 Warsaw
wfdif.com.pl

@TheLureFilm
THE LURE – CAST:
Kinga Preis – Vocalist
Michalina Olszańska – Golden
Marta Mazurek – Silver
Jakub Gierszał – Bass player
Andrzej Konopka – Drummer
Zygmunt Malanowicz – Maitre
Marcin Kowalczyk – Triton
Magdalena Cielecka – Miss Muffett
Katarzyna Herman – Militia Officer
Katarzyna Sawczuk – Nancy

CREDITS:
Director – Agnieszka Smoczyńska
Screenplay – Robert Bolesto
DoP – Kuba Kijowski P.S.C
Costumes – Katarzyna Lewińska
Make-up – Janusz Kaleja
FX – Tomasz Matraszek
Sound – Maria Chilarecka, Marcin Lenarczyk
Editing – Jarosław Kamiński
Music and Lyrics - Ballady i Romanse
(Zuzanna Wrońska and Barbara Wrońska)
Choreography – Kaya Kołodziejczyk, Jarosław Staniek, Betty Q
Art Direction – Joanna Macha
Production Manager – Andrzej Besztak
Co-producers – Zbigniew Adamkiewicz, Jarosław Sawko, Piotr Sikora
Producer – Włodzimierz Niderhaus
Produced by –WFDiF Documentary and Feature Film Studios
Co-produced by – Telewizja Polska S.A.
Platige Image S.A.
Co-financed by – Polish Film Institute

SYNOPSIS
Two mermaid sisters swim out of the sea into a Warsaw nightclub in what could be the 80ies.
They are wild beautiful sexy and hungry for life. While becoming stars practically overnight,
one of them falls in love with a handsome young bass player. This will question their sister
bonds to the limit and will have them make often cruel and bloody choices.
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
“The Lure” is a genre hybrid. It’s a love story, a musical but also a reverie fantasy horror. An
adult fairytale. I was mostly inspired by the kitschy world of big dance hall parties from the
Communist era which ended when I was about 12. The weird lost characters, the warm vodkas,
the glamour amidst poverty is what my imagination soaked with. Especially that my Mom ran
two restaurants during that not-so-belle époque. “The Lure” is also a coming of age story about
discovering your feminine side, your sexuality and using it for a sometimes controversial
purpose. I was much more inspired by Homer than Disney in terms of a mermaid tale. Also a
little bit by Hans Christian Andersen however my mermaids do not wear bras, they do chew on
human hearts though.

COMING OF AGE - A PERSONAL STORY
For both the director and the sisters Wroński who composed the music for the film this is a very
personal story of their childhood. They all grew up in the world of dance-halls in the 1980ies,
accompanying their parents who played in music bands in the most exclusive restaurants in
Poland. The mermaids are an excuse to tell a very special coming -of-age story. They are a
symbol of what one’s forced to go through once growing up and how nothing in adult life is as
beautiful as it seems. First public performance, first love, first cigarette. First feelings that
constitute you as a person because they seem to matter the most. And first disappointment
which kills your inner child forever.

WHY A MUSICAL? “ THE DANCING” PHENOMENON
The story as well as the characters created a natural environment for a musical. The entire
movie is set in a world of music, in a vibrating rhythm of dance halls called “dancings” in
Poland in 1980ies and the life of our protagonists concentrates around music and singing. The
Polish title of the film is “The daughters of the dancing” and the word “dancing” in Polish
referred to a special kind of dance hall-restaurants back in the80ies. Live acts were playing
Boney M, Donna Summer and Bee Gees covers, people used to gather in two rounds, after 5 and
10 pm. To have a snack, to drink vodka or both. Office secretaries, engineers, managers, you
name it. It was a sort of entertainment that disappeared instantly once Poland welcomed
capitalism.
The music and lyrics were written for this film by the sisters Zuzanna and Barbara Wronski
who are actually two big personalities of the Polish independent music scene. Their aim was to
recreate the atmosphere of entertainment in the 80ies in Poland but also show it through the
eyes and sensitivity of a child.
The biggest challenge that dance halls back then set for themselves was to create the perfect
cover of a well-known song hence in the film we can hear the biggest Polish hits as well as the
evergreen “I feel love” by Donna Summer. In the movie we can also hear the punk-rock tune
“Colours” by the legendary band Post Regiment as well as “Chronus” by Billy Chase.
This makes the film set even more in the reality of the 80ies and 90ies and builds a more
credible atmosphere of the music scene back then.

American and Western European hits had to be performed live. The film was also strongly
inspired by Diane Arbus and Nan Goldin. Songs in the film were performed by the actors.
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION
VISUAL STYLE
The 1980ies is the time of childhood of most of the makers of “The Lure”. The atmosphere of
dance halls mixed with childhood memories of that era is what the movie tried to recreate. The
film is how the generation of today’s 30 and 40 year olds remembers that time hence no
historical or political events are recalled. The visual style of the film is taken from what they
remembered.
Costumes, locations and art direction as well as using the light is all taken from the 80ies. The
makers did not want to restore that era piece for piece but rather create a world that until now
only existed in their mind and memory.

LOCATION
The building where the dance hall scenes were shot was the most famous Warsaw place of that
kind – Adria restaurant- built in the 20ies and renowned for its modern dance floor among
other things.
During the 2 nd World War the place was taken over by the Germans and after the war never
quite regained its shape however it always had outstanding live acts playing. “We never
dreamed that we would be able to actually shoot there but it turned out the place had been
empty for years and we didn’t even have to pay for the location” says Agnieszka Smoczyńska
“ If that wasn’t enough everything there remained absolutely intact, someone even found a
shoe and a wine glass on the floor”.
Sezam – the shopping mall -where the big group dancing scene was shot, was a symbol of the
80ies era. Built in 1969 and designed as a shopping space also had a cult bar on the 2 nd floor.
Unfortunately the place was torn down shortly after filming.

CAST
All actors were chosen based on careful and selective casting. The hardest task was to cast the
sisters. “We needed someone original strong and yet delicate sensitive and intelligent. Each of
the girls convinced us with different features but both mentioned that they once were
mermaids so that was a satisfying answer for me.” Agnieszka Smoczyńska

TALENT
Director
Agnieszka Smoczyńska, born in 1978, graduate of the Silesia University Department of Film
Directing at the Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School in Katowice. As a student she shot “The hat”
and “3 Love” that won her many student awards at international film festivals. In 2007 she
directed “Aria Diva” written by Robert Bolesto - the screenplay writer of “The Lure”. The film
won multiple awards at film festivals in Cracow and New York. “The Lure” is her first feature
and was awarded at the biggest Polish film festival in Gdynia for Best Debut Feature and Best
Make-up. Definitely the most talented woman helmer of the young generation in Poland
Screenplay
Robert Bolesto – born in 1977. Wrote the short film “Aria Diva” directed by Agnieszka
Smoczyńska. In 2014 co-wrote the feature “Hardkor Disko” by Krzysztof Skonieczny which was
presented at the Moscow IFF, Edinburgh IFF, Fantastic Fest Austin among others. Awarded at
SCRIPT PRO 2103 – A Screenplay competition within the Off PEKAO Camera Film Festival in
Cracow –Partner festival to the Sundance FF
Music
Zuzanna and Barbara Wroński have created one of the most significant independent Polish
bands of the present called Ballady i Romanse. Awarded on numerous occasions for their
albums as most original and exceptional. Lately they performed at the Open’er Music Festival
in Poland

Director of Photography
Kuba Kijowski – born in 1979- graduate of the National Film & Television School in Lodz. His
debut as DoP was “Secret” by Przemysław Wojcieszek which premiered at the Berlin IFF in 2012.
DoP for the film “Floating Skyscrapers” which was presented at the Tribeca FF 2013 as well as
won the East of the West Competition at the Karlovy Vary IFF in 2013. Camera operator for
Agnieszka Holland’s Academy Award Nominated “In darkness”
Choreography
Kaya Kołodziejczyk- dancer and choreographer. Graduate of the legendary P.A.R.T.S. in
Brussels as well as the Hochschulefur Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Frankfurt. Dances in
the famous Rosa Anna Teresa de Keersmaeker ensemble
Jarosław Staniek – dancer and choreographer as well as director and screenplay writer.
Choreographed over 200 theatre plays in Poland and Europe, awarded for most of his works
both in Poland and Germany
Sound
Marcin Lenarczyk – artist and sound director, famous for his strong presence at the music
alternative scene in Poland. Author of the sound installation awarded Main Prize at the
International Architecture Biennale in Venice in 2008

Maria Chilarecka – sound engineer, member of the Polish Film Academy. Awarded for Best
Sound at the Koszalin Film Festival for the movie “ Father” by Artur Urbański, Awarded.
Nominated for Polish Film Award (Eagle) for sound of the movie “Tricks” by Andrzej
Jakimowski. Awarded for Best Sound at the Gdynia Film Festival for “ Day of the wacko” by
Marek Koterski
Editing
Jarosław Kamiński – member of the Academy of Motions Pictures and Arts and Sciences,
worked on the editing of some of the most important Polish films of the last 20 years eg.
Academy Awarded “Ida” by Paweł Pawlikowski
Make-up
Janusz Kaleja – make-up artist and author of make-up to many Polish films, tv series as well as
theatre plays. Awarded for Best Make-up at the Gdynia Film Festival for “In Darkness” by
Agnieszka Holland
FX
Tomasz Matraszek – graduate of FX Schools in Warsaw and Berlin. Worked on Academy
Awarded “The Pianist” by Roman Polański, Academy Awards Nominated “KATYŃ” by Andrzej
Wajda as well “In Darkness” by Agnieszka Holland and “Essential Killing” by Jerzy
Skolimowski

Costumes
Katarzyna Lewińska – awarded for costumes in the film “In Darkness” by Agnieszka Holland,
also worked with Małgorzata Szumowska and Juliette Binoche on “Sponsoring” and Russian
director Ivan Vyrypayev
Paintings used in the intro and the film
Aleksandra Waliszewska – Visual Artist, world famous for her graphics and easel as well as
mural paintings. Graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw

ACTORS
KINGA PREIS – VOCALIST
Significant films:
2015 “ The Lure” Agnieszka Smoczyńska
2011 “ In Darkness” Agnieszka Holland
2011 “Suicide Rom” Jan Komasa
2011 “Rose” Wojciech Smarzowski
2008 “Four Nights with Anna” Jerzy Skolimowski
Does her own vocals in “The Lure”
MICHALINA OLSZAŃSKA – GOLDEN
Significant films:
2015 “The Lure” Agnieszka Smoczyńska
2014 “Jack Strong” Władysław Pasikowski
2014 „Warsaw 44” Jan Komasa
Does her own vocals in „The Lure”
MARTA MAZUREK – SILVER
Significant films:
2015 “The Lure” Agnieszka Smoczyńska

2014 “Citizen” Jerzy Stuhr
Does her own vocals in “The Lure”
JAKUB GIERSZAŁ – Bass Player
Shooting Star 2012
Significant films:
2015 “ Morris from America” Chad Hartigan
2015 “The Lure” Agnieszka Smoczyńska Sundance IFF Competition
2014 “ Dracula- story untold” Gary Shore
2012 “ Lasting” Jacek Borcuch Sundance IFF Competition
2011 “ Suicide room” Jan Komasa Berlinale IFF
2009 “ All that I love” Jacek Borcuch Sundance IFF Competition
Does his own vocals in “The Lure”
ANDRZEJ KONOPKA – Drummer
Significant films:
2015 “The Lure” Agnieszka Smoczyńska
2014 “The Promise” Anna Kazejak Berlin IFF
2013 “ Wałęsa – Man of Hope” Andrzej Wajda Venice IFF

ZYGMUNT MALANOWICZ – Boss
Significant films:
2015 “The Lure” Agnieszka Smoczyńska
2009 “All that I love” Jacek Borcuch Sundance IFF Competition
1970 “Landscape after battle” Andrzej Wajda
1969 “ Hunting flies” Andrzej Wajda
1961 “Knife in water” Roman Polański
MARCIN KOWALCZYK – Triton
Significant films:
2015 “The Lure” Agnieszka Smoczyńska Sundance IFF
2014 “ Hardkor Disko” Krzysztof Skonieczny Moscow IFF Edinburgh IFF
2012 „ You are God” Leszek Dawid
MAGDALENA CIELECKA – Miss Muffet
Significant films:
2015 “ The Lure” Agnieszka Smoczyńska Sundance IFF
2010 “Venice” Jan Jakub Kolski
2007 „Katyń” Andrzej Wajda

KATARZYNA HERMAN – Militia Officer
Significant films:
2015 „The Lure” Agnieszka Smoczyńska
2015 “Demon” Marcin Wrona Toronto IFF, Sitges IFF
2013 “ Floating Skyscrapers” Tomasz Wasilewski
Tribeca IFF, Karlovy Vary IFF
2012 “ In the Bedroom” Tomasz Wasilewski
2009 “All that I love” Jacek Borcuch Sundance IFF

LEADING PRODUCER: Włodzimierz Niderhaus
Head of WFDiF - Documentary and Feature Film Studios since 1985. Produced and coproduced
over 60 feature films and over 100 documentaries – including international coproductions.
CO-PRODUCERS
Zbigniew Adamkiewicz – Head of Television and Film Production Agency of the Polish
Television Ltd.. Gratuate of the Radio and TV Silesia University in Katowice. Co-producers of
many feature and documentary films. Member of the Polish Filmmakers Association.
Jarosław Sawko
Established the VFX department that delivers special effects work for movies; current head of
the section. His VFX portfolio includes “Antichrist” and “Melancholia” (dir. Lars von Trier),
“Essential Killing” (dir. Jerzy Skolimowski), “Katyń” (dir. Andrzej Wajda), and “Popiełuszko.
Wolność jest w nas” (dir. Rafał Wieczyński). The driving force behind Platige’s efforts to film
short movies and handle special projects, ha later supervised the creation of most of them,
including “The Cathedral” [Oscar nomination, Siggraph CAF Best Animated Short] “Fallen
Art” [BAFTA winner, Siggraph CAF Jury Honors], and “Paths of Hate” [Best Animated Film
and a Special Jury Award at Comic-Con IFF, Siggraph CAF Jury Award, Siggraph Asia CAF
Jury Award].

Piotr Sikora
Responsible for the advanced post-production section that handles advertising projects.
Secured a solid position for Platige on the local and international markets by establishing
working relationships with respected advertising agencies including PZL, BBDO, Leo Burnett,
and Saatchi & Saatchi. Authored the development strategies for Platige operations in Portugal,
Great Britain, New York and São Paulo where the company has subsidiaries. Decided that the
studio should also handle special projects, including theater performances that he produced.
The latter include “Ca Ira” by Roger Waters and “Polita,” directed by Janusz Józefowicz. This
cooperation create Entertainment division in Platige, which deliver cutting edge stereoscopic 3D
performances for theaters around the world.

“ THE LURE”
POLAND 2015
Polish w/English subtitles
92 min /Colour/ DCP 4K- D Cinema
Picture format: Scope 2:39
Sound format: 5:1
CONTACT: WFDiF Productions
wfdif@wfdif.com.pl
Jolanta Galicka
festiwale@wfdif.com
+48 22 5593409