We have known the toxic aspects of any professional world not for a long time. It’s not difficult to give more than examples from movies or TV series, because everyone functions in some kind of professional environment in which the pressure of superiors, the pursuit of a career and the whole collective element of “professional development” is encased in a framework of negative emotions.  

Korek Bojanowski’s Loss of Balance depicts these non-positive emotions of the professional world in the world of young actors. Adepts in theater and film arts preparing for their graduation dream of the coveted glamour, camera flashes and entry into this real acting world, but in Bojanowski’s film we get the gray reality. This is a really important and necessary film. 

An interesting construction of Loss of Balance is the focus on the central character. Maja (Nel Kaczmarek), bouncing from one casting call to another, falls into an already maturing helplessness about her acting career. While working on her graduation play, she simultaneously supports herself by working at a nearby bar. Her growing irritation with her professional situation leads her to quietly give up her plans to become an actress, and at the earliest opportunity she wants to study management, which is ultimately supposed to help her realize her dream – owning her own bar. 

It is gratifying that a large part of the film is devoted to the psychological sphere of the characters, especially in the relationship between the main character and the director of the graduation performance (Tomasz Schuchardt), because this gives the film quite a non-obvious layer. On the screen, it sparks all the way from the energy between them. It also drives everything else – every choice of the main character and Maja’s handling of every relationship. The girl gradually descends into madness and changes beyond recognition. She finds emotions in herself that she did not expect – whether they are hers or created by the director, the viewer must judge for himself. 

„Loss of Balance” (dir. Korek Bojanowski) is to be seen during 18. Mastercard OFF CAMERA in Polish Feature Film Competition. 

List of screenings: 

• 27/04/2025 | 21:00 | Sala duża | MOS Urodzinowe Kino MASTERCARD 
• 30/04/2025 | 13:30 | Sala duża | MOS Urodzinowe Kino MASTERCARD  
• 02/05/2025 | 15:00 | Sala duża | MOS Urodzinowe Kino MASTERCARD

A Q&A session with the filmmakers will take place during the film screening on May 2 at 3:00 PM at the Małopolska Garden of Arts – Mastercard Birthday Cinema.
Please note: the Q&A will be in Polish.

Kinga Majchrzak