Poland selects Paweł Pawlikowski’s ‘Fatherland’ for Oscars

Poland has officially selected Paweł Pawlikowski’s film ‘Fatherland’ (Ojczyzna) as its entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards. The black-and-white drama, which won Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival, follows German novelist Thomas Mann and his daughter Erika during a journey through post-war Germany in 1949. While the story is set in Germany and features German actors like Sandra Hüller and Hanns Zischler, the production was primarily shot in Poland.

The selection has sparked debate among Polish audiences, with some critics questioning the choice of a film focused on German national trauma and conducted in the German language. Despite the controversy, the film has received high critical acclaim, including a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Separately, the Netflix adaptation of Bolesław Prus’s classic novel ‘Lalka,’ directed by Paweł Maślona, has also become a major topic of discussion. The series has received polarized reviews; some critics praise its modern interpretation and acting, while others criticize it for deviating too significantly from the original literary source material.