THE BEST OFF: SMARZOWSKI

POD MOCNYM ANIOŁEM

2014 / 105 min / color

Jerzy (Robert Więckiewicz) is a writer trapped in the relentless cycle of alcoholism. We meet him as he finds a sliver of hope, and starts to believe that recovery is finally within his grasp. Having fallen in love with a young woman, he thinks he has finally found a reason to stay sober – something, and someone, to live for. But the reprieve is short-lived — a sudden detour to the “Pod Mocnym Aniołem” (The Mighty Angel) bar sends him into a devastating downward spiral that leads him back to his apartment and a familiar, endless void. After collapsing, Jerzy ends up in the ICU and then back in a short-term detox program for another grueling stint in rehab. As part of his therapy, he has to read out loud his harrowing accounts of his binges, which mirror the stories of his fellow patients: a film director, an engineer, a pharmacist, a hairdresser… On this ward addiction is the great equalizer — it doesn’t discriminate. Based on Jerzy Pilch’s acclaimed novel, The Mighty Angel is a visceral portrait of a man’s slow descent into the abyss. It’s a tragic struggle for survival, punctuated by inevitable falls and the lingering hope of a love that represents his last chance to return to normality.

• Gdynia FF – Silver Lions, Best Score, Best Editing
• Polish Film Awards “Eagles” – Best Supporting Actress (Kinga Preis)
• Tokyo IFF – Best Actor (Robert Więckiewicz)