Clergy (film)

Clergy (Polish: Kler) is a 2018 Polish drama co-written and directed by Wojciech Smarzowski. The film stars Arkadiusz Jakubik, Robert Wieckiewicz and Jacek Braciak as three priests united by an event that almost took their lives.

Clergy
Film Poster
PolishKler
Directed byWojciech Smarzowski
Produced byJacek Rzehak
Written byWojciech Smarzowski
Wojciech Rzehak
Starring
Music byMikolaj Trzaska
CinematographyTomasz Madejski
Edited byPawel Laskowski
Production
company
Profil Film
Showmax
Kino Swiat
Distributed byKino Swiat
Release date
  • September 28, 2018 (2018-09-28) (Poland)
Running time
133 minutes
CountryPoland
LanguagePolish
Box office$29,913,342[1]

Plot

Three priests meet on the same date of a past event that could have taken their lives.

Cast

Release

Box office

Clergy was wide released in Poland on September 28, 2018 and grossed $29,913,342, breaking several box office records. About 935,000 viewers watched the film in its opening weekend, the best opening for a Polish film in Poland in 30 years.[2][1]

Reception

Mike McCahill from The Guardian gave the film three out of five stars, stating: "Controversial in its native Poland, this ambitious drama skilfully shows its clerical cast are as much victims as villains".[3] Richard Lewis writing for the "Wroclaw Uncut" gave Clergy a good review saying: "It’s an interesting and topical film made by the leading faces of Polish cinema and will only increase the growing stature of Polish film around the world. It holds no punches and has got people talking about some difficult issues. It is amusing and shocking in equal measure. It is certainly a zeitgeist moment and I recommend you see it". However, Lewis also criticized some aspects of the movie: "The characters are a bit thin and their deeper psychological motivations are largely unexplored. Some of the plot twists and turns become somewhat difficult to follow towards the end and I think perhaps half-an-hour could have been shaved off the running time".[4]

Accolades

Clergy received several awards and nominations.

Award Subject Nominee Result
Association of Polish Filmmakers Critics Awards[5] Best Polish Film Wojciech Smarzowski Won
Polish Film Awards[5][6] Best Film (Najlepszy Film) Wojciech Smarzowski Nominated
Best Director (Najlepsza Rezyseria) Wojciech Smarzowski Nominated
Polish Film Festival[5][7] Best Film - Audience Award Wojciech Smarzowski Won
Best Feature Film - Award of Festivals and Reviews of the Polish Film Abroad Wojciech Smarzowski Won
Best Production Design Jagna Janicka Won
Best Film - Don Kichot - Award of the Polish Federation of Film Discussion Clubs Wojciech Smarzowski Won
Best Film - Journalists Awards Wojciech Smarzowski Won
Main Competition Wojciech Smarzowski Won
Best Film - Golden Lion Wojciech Smarzowski Nominated

Controversy

In Poland, Clergy, which explores polemic themes such as child abuse, corruption, and alcoholism in the Catholic Church in Poland, was “highly controversial” upon its release and it was heavily criticized by several right-wing and nationalist groups in the Polish society, including the Polish government that is currently led by the conservative and pro-clerical party, Law and Justice.[2][3][8][9]

Sequel

A sequel is planned, with a budget of 20 millions euros, and the co-production of Italia, with a possible plot about Vatican.[10][11][12]

References
  1. "Kler (2018)". The Numbers. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  2. Strzelecki, Marek. "Film About Catholic Church Pedophilia Sets Box-Office Record in Poland". Bloomberg. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  3. McCahill, Mike. "Kler review – counting the sins of the Catholic priesthood". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  4. Lewis, Richard. "FILM REVIEW: KLER". Wroclaw Uncut. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  5. "Kler (2018) - Awards". IMDB. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  6. "Nominowani do Orłów 2019". pnf.pl. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  7. "Prizes awarded at 43rd Polish Film Festival". festiwalgdynia.pl. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  8. Goclowski, Marcin. "Movie about corrupt priests outrages politicians in Catholic Poland". Reuters. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  9. Noack, Rick. "A blockbuster Polish movie about abusive priests triggers a new wave of accusations". The Washington Post. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  10. ""Kler 2" coraz bardziej prawdopodobny. Włosi gotowi są wyłożyć 20 mln euro". cojestgrane24.wyborcza.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2019-11-23.
  11. "Powstanie "Kler 2"? "SE": Filmem są zainteresowani włoscy producenci". Do Rzeczy (in Polish). 2018-11-28. Retrieved 2019-11-23.
  12. "Wojciech Smarzowski zapowiada, że powstanie "Kler 2". Zdradził, jak zacznie się film". wMeritum.pl (in Polish). 2018-10-03. Retrieved 2019-11-23.
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