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{{Short description|2017 Polish film by Jagoda Szelc}}
{{Film infobox
| director = [[Jagoda Szelc]]
| writer = Jagoda Szelc
| producer = Marcin Malatyński
| starring = Anna Krotoska<br />Małgorzata Szczerbowska<br />[[Anna Zubrzycka]]<br />[[Dorota Łukasiewicz-Kwietniewska]]<br />[[Rafał Kwietniewski]]
| cinematography = Przemysław Brynkiewicz
| editing = Anna Garncarczyk
| music = [[Teoniki Rożynek]]
| studio = ''Indeks'' Studio
| distributor = [[Against Gravity]]
| released = {{Film date|2018|03|23|Poland}}
| runtime = 106 minutes
| country = [[Poland]]
| language = [[Polish language|Polish]]
| budget = 2.3 million PLN
}}
'''''Wieża. Jasny dzień''''' (English: '''''Tower. A Bright Day''''') is a Polish [[Drama (film and television)|drama film]] from 2017, directed by [[Jagoda Szelc]], based on her original screenplay.
The film revolves around the clash between the traditionalist Mula and her sister Kaja, who compete for the right to raise Nina, Kaja's biological daughter. Szelc received awards for her directorial debut and screenplay at the [[Gdynia Film Festival]] and was honored with the [[Paszport Polityki|''Polityka'' Passport]]. Reviewers of the film repeatedly emphasized its references to the tradition of Polish [[Romanticism]] and the work of European filmmakers such as [[Lars von Trier]] and [[Yorgos Lanthimos]].
== Plot ==
On the occasion of Nina's [[First Communion]], her parents, Mula and Michał, invite their family to their home in the [[Kłodzko Valley]]. Soon, Mula's siblings join them – her sister Kaja and brother Andrzej with his wife Anna and children. It turns out that Kaja is Nina's biological mother, who disappeared for several years after giving birth to the child, and Nina was raised by Mula, who also takes care of their sick mother. Mula, who is busy with various responsibilities, harbors resentment towards her sister and fears that her presence might disrupt her relationship with Nina. Upon the arrival of the guests, a series of irrational events unfolds – the sisters' mother regains her health, and Nina refuses to participate in her communion.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Birkholc |first=Robert |title=Wieża. Jasny dzień (2017) |url=https://edukacjafilmowa.pl/wieza-jasny-dzien-2017/ |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=Edukacja Filmowa |language=pl-PL}}</ref>
== Cast ==
* Anna Krotoska – Mula
* Małgorzata Szczerbowska – Kaja, Mula's sister
* [[Anna Zubrzycka]] – Ada, mother of Mula, Kaja and Andrzej
* [[Dorota Łukasiewicz-Kwietniewska]] – Anna, Andrzej's wife
* [[Rafał Kwietniewski]] – Andrzej, Mula's brother
* Rafał Cieluch – Michał, Mula's husband
* Laila Hennessy – Nina
* Ida Kwietniewska – Dusia, Anna and Andrzej's daughter
* Igor Kwietniewski – Igor, Anna and Andrzej's son
* Artur Krajewski – priest
* Bogusława Sztencel – Miss Wanda
* Mohammed Almughanni – refugee
* Jędrzej Wielecki – pilgrim
* Miłosz Karbownik – pilgrim
* Mikołaj Chroboczek – pilgrim
* Maciej Miszczak – pilgrim
* Monika Strzelczyk – woman
* Hanna Misiak – woman
* Joanna Nowicka-Zagrajek – woman
* Joanna Łużny – woman
* Arkadiusz Zagrajek – man
* Alicja Pachowicz – fair-haired girl<ref name=":0">''[http://www.filmpolski.pl/fp/index.php/1240626 Wieża. Jasny dzień]'' in the [[FilmPolski.pl|''FilmPolski.pl'']] database</ref>
== Production ==
The production of the film was managed by the ''Indeks'' Studio, established by the then rector of the [[Łódź Film School]], [[Mariusz Grzegorzek]]. The creation of the studio aimed to assist future graduates of the school in making non-commercial, original debuts. One of the students of the Łódź Film School who benefited from this initiative was [[Jagoda Szelc]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Demski |first=Mateusz |last2=Dróżdż |first2=Dawid |date=2018-03-27 |title=„Nie mam zamiaru już niczego udawać”. wywiad z Jagodą Szelc |url=https://ekrany.org.pl/kino_wspolczesne/nie-mam-zamiaru-juz-niczego-udawac-wywiad-z-jagoda-szelc/ |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=Ekrany |language=pl}}</ref> When creating her feature debut, Szelc intended ''Wieża. Jasny dzień'' to be a [[protest song]] against the destructive ambitions of humanity:<blockquote>''On a micro scale, it tells the story of a family crisis, but on a macro scale, it's a story about the obsession with control: the daily pursuit, perceiving ambition as a positive value, and the belief that love can be owned. This set of features is something that stands in direct opposition to our nature; it's like a denial of the primal attitude of 'let it go'.<ref name=":1" />''</blockquote>For the film, Szelc planned to adopt a naturalistic style, so she decided to forgo professional actors: ''I wanted them to be people who were somewhat unknown but very credible''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Szaszewska |first=Joanna |date=2018-03-18 |title=Jagoda Szelc: "Wieża. Jasny dzień" to moja krytyka religijności. Chrześcijaństwo nie wyrabia się na zakręcie |url=https://kultura.gazeta.pl/kultura/7...jasny-dzien-to-moja-krytyka-religijnosci.html |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=gazetapl |language=pl}}</ref> Therefore, in the lead roles, non-professional actors Anna Krotoska and Małgorzata Szczerbowska were cast, attracted by Szelc's working method. Krotoska described her participation in the film as ''the most beautiful work I've done so far''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Szaszewska |first=Joanna |date=2018-03-20 |title=Anna Krotoska o ''Wieży. Jasny dzień'': Powiedziałam "tak" nie czytając scenariusza. Później się przestraszyłam |url=https://kultura.gazeta.pl/kultura/7...o-wiezy-jasny-dzien-powiedzialam-tak-nie.html |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=gazetapl |language=pl}}</ref>
The cinematography for ''Wieża. Jasny dzień'' was handled by Przemysław Brynkiewicz. The shooting period began on 23 May 2016, in the [[Kłodzko Valley]].<ref name=":0" /> The total budget of the film was around 2.3 million PLN, with almost 1.5 million PLN covered by the [[Polish Film Institute]].<ref>{{Cite web |year=2017 |title=Lista filmów ukończonych i dofinansowanych przez PISF wraz z wykazem kwot dofinansowania |url=https://pisf.pl/wp-content/uploads/...F_wraz_z_wykazem_kwot_dofinansowania_2017.pdf |access-date=2022-02-27 |website=Polski Instytut Sztuki Filmowej |language=pl}}</ref> The film was completed in 2017 after editing by Anna Garncarczyk<ref name=":0" /> and was then entered into festival circulation. It was first presented at the [[Gdynia Film Festival]] on 19 September 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wieża. Jasny dzień – premierowo – w Gdyni! – Newsy {{!}} Szkoła Filmowa w Łodzi |url=https://www.filmschool.lodz.pl/news/1196,wieza-jasny-dzien-premierowo-w-gdyni.html |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=www.filmschool.lodz.pl |language=pl}}</ref> The theatrical premiere of ''Wieża. Jasny dzień'' took place on 23 March 2018.<ref name=":0" />
== Reception ==
=== Cinematic attendance ===
Domestic cinemas reported low audience attendance at screenings of the film. According to estimates by the Polish Film Institute, it was seen by just over 23,000 viewers.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Le Viet-Błaszczyk |first=Milena |url=https://cfm.uek.krakow.pl/media/files/bf/cb/2020_KES_External and Internal_final_15.12.2020.pdf |title=Knowledge – Economy – Society. External and Internal Determinants of Modern Business Management |publisher=Dom Organizatora |year=2020 |editor-last=Jaki |editor-first=Andrzej |location=Toruń |page=202 |chapter=Use of Social Media in Polish Film Industry Marketing |editor-last2=Ziębicki |editor-first2=Bernard}}</ref>
[[File:Jagoda Szelc.jpg|thumb|[[Jagoda Szelc]], director of the film (2018)]]
=== Critical reception in Poland ===
The film was generally well-received by critics. Jakub Popielecki from the [[Filmweb]] portal argued that ''Szelc embarks on a tale about the human condition. The horror here is primarily the horror of existence, the tragedy of an uncomfortable sprawl in which humanity finds itself''.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Popielecki |first=Jakub |year=2017 |title=Co to będzie, co to będzie - Recenzja filmu Wieża. Jasny dzień |url=https://www.filmweb.pl/reviews/recenzja-filmu-Wieża.+Jasny+dzień-21242 |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=Filmweb |language=pl}}</ref> Popielecki drew comparisons between ''Wieża. Jasny dzień'' and [[Lars von Trier]]'s ''[[Antichrist (film)|Antichrist]]'' as well as the cinema of [[Mariusz Grzegorzka]].<ref name=":2" /> Łukasz Maciejewski claimed that Szelc's film ''would appeal to [[Maria Janion]]'' thanks to its constant references to Polish Romanticism,<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Maciejewski |first=Łukasz |date=2018-03-20 |title="Wieża. Jasny dzień": Medea zombie |url=https://kultura.onet.pl/film/recenzje/wieza-jasny-dzien-medea-zombie/e0eryzl |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=Onet Kultura |language=pl}}</ref> although he also noticed allusions to films by [[Yorgos Lanthimos]] and the ancient Greek myth of [[Medea]].<ref name=":3" /> Grzegorz Fortuna Jr. in ''Kino'' magazine elaborated on a romantic interpretation, stating that ''Jagoda Szelc reaches into the vast closet of [[Slavic folklore]]'' and brings back the forgotten figure of ''the 'szeptucha', who is not a negative and hostile character, but an ambivalent and fleeting one''.<ref name=":4">{{Cite journal |last=Fortuna |first=Grzegorz |year=2018 |title=Wieża. Jasny dzień |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2111516925/fulltextPDF/8B336D1810714B6APQ/1?accountid=196403 |journal=Kino |language=pl |pages=73–74 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/2022022...?accountid=196403&forcedol=true&forcedol=true |archive-date=2022-02-28}}</ref> Fortuna also argued that in ''Wieża. Jasny dzień'' the ''apocalypse is not associated [...] with a revolt of machines, nuclear explosions, and ubiquitous radioactive dust, but with a return to shamanism; to something primitive, mysterious, pushed out of collective consciousness''.<ref name=":4" />
Piotr Mirski in his review for ''[[Dwutygodnik]]'' considered Jagoda Szelc's film to be the antithesis of [[Krzysztof Skonieczny]]'s ''[[Hardkor Disko]]'': ''While 'Hardkor Disko' is merely a collage of bombastic slogans, clichés, and flashy gimmicks, 'Wieża. Jasny dzień' can serve as a model of young, radical artistic cinema''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mirski |first=Piotr |year=2018 |title=Pogański świt |url=https://www.dwutygodnik.com/artykul/7716-poganski-swit.html |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=www.dwutygodnik.com |language=pl}}</ref> Jarosław Kowal from the ''Film.org.pl'' portal appreciated the maturity of Szelc's debut and argued that ''Wieża. Jasny dzień'' is a film on the border of many genres: ''Szelc transcends genres, on the border between the real world and metaphysics, but instead of fueling conflict, she simply observes their existence, and certainly does not anoint one as better than the other''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kowal |first=Jarosław |date=2018-03-23 |title=WIEŻA. JASNY DZIEŃ. Debiut ponad gatunkami |url=https://film.org.pl/r/wieza-jasny-dzien-42-fpff-w-gdyni-128801 |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=film.org.pl |language=pl-PL}}</ref>
Łukasz Adamski from ''[[wPolityce.pl]]'' pointed out the problematic message of ''Wieża. Jasny dzień'': ''Not only stylistically is this cinema intended for a narrow audience, but its message is also very disturbing''.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Adamski |first=Łukasz |date=2018-03-22 |title=„Wieża. Jasny dzień”. Wiedźma kontra umierająca religia. RECENZJA |url=https://wpolityce.pl/kultura/387075-wieza-jasny-dzien-wiedzma-kontra-umierajaca-religia-recenzja |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=wpolityce.pl |language=pl}}</ref> In his opinion, the film suggests that contemporary, secularized Poles, faced with the absence of God, are left with ''dense forests and paying homage to another deity''.<ref name=":5" /> According to Adrian Luzar from the ''[[Interia]]'' portal, Jagoda Szelc's film is characterized by a ''disordered, somewhat crippled style, colliding overly zealous, documentary [[Realism (theatre)|realism]] with scenes reminiscent of [[Xavier Dolan]]'s films''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Luzar |first=Adrian |date=2017-09-19 |title="Wieża. Jasny dzień" [recenzja]: Ciemno, prawie noc |url=https://film.interia.pl/raport-gdyn...-dzien-recenzja-ciemno-prawie-noc,nId,2442126 |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=film.interia.pl |language=pl}}</ref>
=== Critical reception abroad ===
''Wieża. Jasny dzień'' also caught the attention of foreign critics. Sarah Ward from the British magazine ''Screen'' selected Jagoda Szelc's film as one of the ten female-directed works to watch in 2018.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ward |first=Sarah |date=2018-06-05 |title=Sydney Film Festival picks 10 female directors to watch in 2018 |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2050502326/6586D8EF74F14B3DPQ/1?accountid=196403 |journal=Screen International |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/2022022...EF74F14B3DPQ/1?accountid=196403&forcedol=true |archive-date=2022-02-28 |access-date=2022-02-28}}</ref> However, Neil Young from ''[[The Hollywood Reporter|Hollywood Reporter]]'' gave a negative assessment of ''Wieża. Jasny dzień'', stating that although there are ''glimmers of talent on various fronts'' in the film, ultimately it is a ''hollow rehash of well-worn stylistic tropes''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Young |first=Neil |date=2018-02-19 |title=‘Tower. A Bright Day’ (‘Wieza. Jasny dzien’): Film Review {{!}} Berlin 2018 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/tower-a-bright-day-wieza-jasny-dzien-1085839/ |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref> Ben Sachs from ''Chicago Reader'' compared Szelc's debut to other female-directed works such as [[Lucrecia Martel]]'s ''[[La ciénaga (film)|La Ciénaga]]'' (2001) and [[Alice Rohrwacher]]'s ''[[The Wonders (film)|The Wonders]]'' (2014), but noted that with Jagoda Szelc, ''there is a lack of humor and compassion that characterizes other films. Szelc's perspective is so pessimistic and dark that one often feels like it's a horror film, and the overwhelmingly eerie music and sound effects reinforce this association''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sachs |first=Ben |date=2019-03-07 |title=Tower. A Bright Day. |url=http://chicagoreader.com/film/tower-a-bright-day/ |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=Chicago Reader |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Awards ==
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Festival/organizer
!Award
!Recipient
!Result
|-
| rowspan="4" |2017
| rowspan="3" |[[Gdynia Film Festival]]
|Award for directorial debut or second film
|Jagoda Szelc
|Winner<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=Festiwal w Gdyni. Złote Lwy dla ‘Cichej nocy’, ‘Wieża. Jasny dzień’ najlepszym debiutem. To był festiwal młodych, świetnych twórców |url=https://wyborcza.pl/7,101707,22416894,festiwal-w-gdyni-zlote-lwy-dla-cichej-nocy-wieza-jasny.html |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=wyborcza.pl |language=pl}}</ref>
|-
|Screenplay award
|Jagoda Szelc
|Winner<ref name=":6" />
|-
|[[Onet.pl|Onet]]'s "Discovery of the Festival" award
|Jagoda Szelc
|Winner<ref name=":6" />
|-
|Tadeusz Szymków Film Acting Festival
|Golden Puppy for supporting female actor
|Małgorzata Szczerbowska
|Winner<ref>{{Cite web |title=6. FAF 2017 |url=http://www.festiwalaktorstwa.pl/6-faf-2017/ |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=13.FAF |language=pl-PL}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="6" |2018
|''[[Polityka]]'' magazine
|[[Paszport Polityki|''Polityka''<nowiki/>'s Passport]]
|Jagoda Szelc
|Winner<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wieliczko |first=Małgorzata |date=2024-05-04 |title=Wrocławska reżyserka Jagoda Szelc z Paszportem Polityki 2017 |url=https://www.wroclaw.pl/kultura/wroclawska-rezyserka-jagoda-szelc-z-paszportem-polityki-2017 |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=Wroclaw.pl |language=pl}}</ref>
|-
|[[International Festival of Independent Cinema Off Camera|International Festival of Independent Cinema ''Off Camera'']]
|Kraków Film Award in the Main Competition "Making Way"
|
|Winner<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Suława |first=Aleksandra |date=2018-05-05 |title="Wieża. Jasny dzień" Jagody Szelc zwycięzcą 11. edycji festiwalu Netia Off Camera |url=http://www.gs24.pl/polska-i-swiat/a...-festiwalu-netia-off-camera-zdjecia,13151022/ |journal=Głos Szczeciński |language=pl |access-date=2018-05-18}}</ref>
|-
|Polish Film Festival ''FilmPoland'' in Berlin
|Jury Award
|
|Winner<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-02-17 |title=Berlinale 2018: "Wieża. Jasny dzień" zachwyca zagranicznych krytyków |url=https://kultura.onet.pl/film/wiadom...dzien-zachwyca-zagranicznych-krytykow/3hmw9ez |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=Onet Kultura |language=pl}}</ref>
|-
|[[Koszalin Film Debut Festival "The Young and Film"|Koszalin Film Debut Festival ''The Young and Film'']]
|Screenplay award
|Jagoda Szelc
|Winner<ref name=":0" />
|-
|Mammoth Lakes Film Festival
|Main Award
|
|Winner<ref name=":0" />
|-
|Festival ''KinoPolska'' in Paris
|Special Mention
|
|Winner<ref name=":0" />
|-
| rowspan="2" |2019
|[[Polish Film Academy]]
|Eagle for discovery of the year
|Jagoda Szelc
|Nomination<ref name=":0" />
|-
|[[Łódź Film School]]
|Andrzej Munk Award
|Jagoda Szelc
|Winner<ref name=":0" />
|}
== References ==
<references />
== External links ==
* ''[http://www.filmpolski.pl/fp/index.php/1240626 Wieża. Jasny dzień]'' in the ''[[FilmPolski.pl]]'' database
* ''[http://www.filmweb.pl/Film?id=775897 Wieża. Jasny dzień]'' in the [[Filmweb]] database
[[Category
olish-language films]]
[[Category:2018 films]]
[[Categoryirectorial debut films]]
[[Categoryolish drama films]]
[[Category:Films set in Poland]]
Okumaya devam et...
{{Short description|2017 Polish film by Jagoda Szelc}}
{{Film infobox
| director = [[Jagoda Szelc]]
| writer = Jagoda Szelc
| producer = Marcin Malatyński
| starring = Anna Krotoska<br />Małgorzata Szczerbowska<br />[[Anna Zubrzycka]]<br />[[Dorota Łukasiewicz-Kwietniewska]]<br />[[Rafał Kwietniewski]]
| cinematography = Przemysław Brynkiewicz
| editing = Anna Garncarczyk
| music = [[Teoniki Rożynek]]
| studio = ''Indeks'' Studio
| distributor = [[Against Gravity]]
| released = {{Film date|2018|03|23|Poland}}
| runtime = 106 minutes
| country = [[Poland]]
| language = [[Polish language|Polish]]
| budget = 2.3 million PLN
}}
'''''Wieża. Jasny dzień''''' (English: '''''Tower. A Bright Day''''') is a Polish [[Drama (film and television)|drama film]] from 2017, directed by [[Jagoda Szelc]], based on her original screenplay.
The film revolves around the clash between the traditionalist Mula and her sister Kaja, who compete for the right to raise Nina, Kaja's biological daughter. Szelc received awards for her directorial debut and screenplay at the [[Gdynia Film Festival]] and was honored with the [[Paszport Polityki|''Polityka'' Passport]]. Reviewers of the film repeatedly emphasized its references to the tradition of Polish [[Romanticism]] and the work of European filmmakers such as [[Lars von Trier]] and [[Yorgos Lanthimos]].
== Plot ==
On the occasion of Nina's [[First Communion]], her parents, Mula and Michał, invite their family to their home in the [[Kłodzko Valley]]. Soon, Mula's siblings join them – her sister Kaja and brother Andrzej with his wife Anna and children. It turns out that Kaja is Nina's biological mother, who disappeared for several years after giving birth to the child, and Nina was raised by Mula, who also takes care of their sick mother. Mula, who is busy with various responsibilities, harbors resentment towards her sister and fears that her presence might disrupt her relationship with Nina. Upon the arrival of the guests, a series of irrational events unfolds – the sisters' mother regains her health, and Nina refuses to participate in her communion.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Birkholc |first=Robert |title=Wieża. Jasny dzień (2017) |url=https://edukacjafilmowa.pl/wieza-jasny-dzien-2017/ |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=Edukacja Filmowa |language=pl-PL}}</ref>
== Cast ==
* Anna Krotoska – Mula
* Małgorzata Szczerbowska – Kaja, Mula's sister
* [[Anna Zubrzycka]] – Ada, mother of Mula, Kaja and Andrzej
* [[Dorota Łukasiewicz-Kwietniewska]] – Anna, Andrzej's wife
* [[Rafał Kwietniewski]] – Andrzej, Mula's brother
* Rafał Cieluch – Michał, Mula's husband
* Laila Hennessy – Nina
* Ida Kwietniewska – Dusia, Anna and Andrzej's daughter
* Igor Kwietniewski – Igor, Anna and Andrzej's son
* Artur Krajewski – priest
* Bogusława Sztencel – Miss Wanda
* Mohammed Almughanni – refugee
* Jędrzej Wielecki – pilgrim
* Miłosz Karbownik – pilgrim
* Mikołaj Chroboczek – pilgrim
* Maciej Miszczak – pilgrim
* Monika Strzelczyk – woman
* Hanna Misiak – woman
* Joanna Nowicka-Zagrajek – woman
* Joanna Łużny – woman
* Arkadiusz Zagrajek – man
* Alicja Pachowicz – fair-haired girl<ref name=":0">''[http://www.filmpolski.pl/fp/index.php/1240626 Wieża. Jasny dzień]'' in the [[FilmPolski.pl|''FilmPolski.pl'']] database</ref>
== Production ==
The production of the film was managed by the ''Indeks'' Studio, established by the then rector of the [[Łódź Film School]], [[Mariusz Grzegorzek]]. The creation of the studio aimed to assist future graduates of the school in making non-commercial, original debuts. One of the students of the Łódź Film School who benefited from this initiative was [[Jagoda Szelc]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Demski |first=Mateusz |last2=Dróżdż |first2=Dawid |date=2018-03-27 |title=„Nie mam zamiaru już niczego udawać”. wywiad z Jagodą Szelc |url=https://ekrany.org.pl/kino_wspolczesne/nie-mam-zamiaru-juz-niczego-udawac-wywiad-z-jagoda-szelc/ |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=Ekrany |language=pl}}</ref> When creating her feature debut, Szelc intended ''Wieża. Jasny dzień'' to be a [[protest song]] against the destructive ambitions of humanity:<blockquote>''On a micro scale, it tells the story of a family crisis, but on a macro scale, it's a story about the obsession with control: the daily pursuit, perceiving ambition as a positive value, and the belief that love can be owned. This set of features is something that stands in direct opposition to our nature; it's like a denial of the primal attitude of 'let it go'.<ref name=":1" />''</blockquote>For the film, Szelc planned to adopt a naturalistic style, so she decided to forgo professional actors: ''I wanted them to be people who were somewhat unknown but very credible''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Szaszewska |first=Joanna |date=2018-03-18 |title=Jagoda Szelc: "Wieża. Jasny dzień" to moja krytyka religijności. Chrześcijaństwo nie wyrabia się na zakręcie |url=https://kultura.gazeta.pl/kultura/7...jasny-dzien-to-moja-krytyka-religijnosci.html |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=gazetapl |language=pl}}</ref> Therefore, in the lead roles, non-professional actors Anna Krotoska and Małgorzata Szczerbowska were cast, attracted by Szelc's working method. Krotoska described her participation in the film as ''the most beautiful work I've done so far''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Szaszewska |first=Joanna |date=2018-03-20 |title=Anna Krotoska o ''Wieży. Jasny dzień'': Powiedziałam "tak" nie czytając scenariusza. Później się przestraszyłam |url=https://kultura.gazeta.pl/kultura/7...o-wiezy-jasny-dzien-powiedzialam-tak-nie.html |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=gazetapl |language=pl}}</ref>
The cinematography for ''Wieża. Jasny dzień'' was handled by Przemysław Brynkiewicz. The shooting period began on 23 May 2016, in the [[Kłodzko Valley]].<ref name=":0" /> The total budget of the film was around 2.3 million PLN, with almost 1.5 million PLN covered by the [[Polish Film Institute]].<ref>{{Cite web |year=2017 |title=Lista filmów ukończonych i dofinansowanych przez PISF wraz z wykazem kwot dofinansowania |url=https://pisf.pl/wp-content/uploads/...F_wraz_z_wykazem_kwot_dofinansowania_2017.pdf |access-date=2022-02-27 |website=Polski Instytut Sztuki Filmowej |language=pl}}</ref> The film was completed in 2017 after editing by Anna Garncarczyk<ref name=":0" /> and was then entered into festival circulation. It was first presented at the [[Gdynia Film Festival]] on 19 September 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wieża. Jasny dzień – premierowo – w Gdyni! – Newsy {{!}} Szkoła Filmowa w Łodzi |url=https://www.filmschool.lodz.pl/news/1196,wieza-jasny-dzien-premierowo-w-gdyni.html |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=www.filmschool.lodz.pl |language=pl}}</ref> The theatrical premiere of ''Wieża. Jasny dzień'' took place on 23 March 2018.<ref name=":0" />
== Reception ==
=== Cinematic attendance ===
Domestic cinemas reported low audience attendance at screenings of the film. According to estimates by the Polish Film Institute, it was seen by just over 23,000 viewers.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Le Viet-Błaszczyk |first=Milena |url=https://cfm.uek.krakow.pl/media/files/bf/cb/2020_KES_External and Internal_final_15.12.2020.pdf |title=Knowledge – Economy – Society. External and Internal Determinants of Modern Business Management |publisher=Dom Organizatora |year=2020 |editor-last=Jaki |editor-first=Andrzej |location=Toruń |page=202 |chapter=Use of Social Media in Polish Film Industry Marketing |editor-last2=Ziębicki |editor-first2=Bernard}}</ref>
[[File:Jagoda Szelc.jpg|thumb|[[Jagoda Szelc]], director of the film (2018)]]
=== Critical reception in Poland ===
The film was generally well-received by critics. Jakub Popielecki from the [[Filmweb]] portal argued that ''Szelc embarks on a tale about the human condition. The horror here is primarily the horror of existence, the tragedy of an uncomfortable sprawl in which humanity finds itself''.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Popielecki |first=Jakub |year=2017 |title=Co to będzie, co to będzie - Recenzja filmu Wieża. Jasny dzień |url=https://www.filmweb.pl/reviews/recenzja-filmu-Wieża.+Jasny+dzień-21242 |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=Filmweb |language=pl}}</ref> Popielecki drew comparisons between ''Wieża. Jasny dzień'' and [[Lars von Trier]]'s ''[[Antichrist (film)|Antichrist]]'' as well as the cinema of [[Mariusz Grzegorzka]].<ref name=":2" /> Łukasz Maciejewski claimed that Szelc's film ''would appeal to [[Maria Janion]]'' thanks to its constant references to Polish Romanticism,<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Maciejewski |first=Łukasz |date=2018-03-20 |title="Wieża. Jasny dzień": Medea zombie |url=https://kultura.onet.pl/film/recenzje/wieza-jasny-dzien-medea-zombie/e0eryzl |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=Onet Kultura |language=pl}}</ref> although he also noticed allusions to films by [[Yorgos Lanthimos]] and the ancient Greek myth of [[Medea]].<ref name=":3" /> Grzegorz Fortuna Jr. in ''Kino'' magazine elaborated on a romantic interpretation, stating that ''Jagoda Szelc reaches into the vast closet of [[Slavic folklore]]'' and brings back the forgotten figure of ''the 'szeptucha', who is not a negative and hostile character, but an ambivalent and fleeting one''.<ref name=":4">{{Cite journal |last=Fortuna |first=Grzegorz |year=2018 |title=Wieża. Jasny dzień |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2111516925/fulltextPDF/8B336D1810714B6APQ/1?accountid=196403 |journal=Kino |language=pl |pages=73–74 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/2022022...?accountid=196403&forcedol=true&forcedol=true |archive-date=2022-02-28}}</ref> Fortuna also argued that in ''Wieża. Jasny dzień'' the ''apocalypse is not associated [...] with a revolt of machines, nuclear explosions, and ubiquitous radioactive dust, but with a return to shamanism; to something primitive, mysterious, pushed out of collective consciousness''.<ref name=":4" />
Piotr Mirski in his review for ''[[Dwutygodnik]]'' considered Jagoda Szelc's film to be the antithesis of [[Krzysztof Skonieczny]]'s ''[[Hardkor Disko]]'': ''While 'Hardkor Disko' is merely a collage of bombastic slogans, clichés, and flashy gimmicks, 'Wieża. Jasny dzień' can serve as a model of young, radical artistic cinema''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mirski |first=Piotr |year=2018 |title=Pogański świt |url=https://www.dwutygodnik.com/artykul/7716-poganski-swit.html |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=www.dwutygodnik.com |language=pl}}</ref> Jarosław Kowal from the ''Film.org.pl'' portal appreciated the maturity of Szelc's debut and argued that ''Wieża. Jasny dzień'' is a film on the border of many genres: ''Szelc transcends genres, on the border between the real world and metaphysics, but instead of fueling conflict, she simply observes their existence, and certainly does not anoint one as better than the other''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kowal |first=Jarosław |date=2018-03-23 |title=WIEŻA. JASNY DZIEŃ. Debiut ponad gatunkami |url=https://film.org.pl/r/wieza-jasny-dzien-42-fpff-w-gdyni-128801 |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=film.org.pl |language=pl-PL}}</ref>
Łukasz Adamski from ''[[wPolityce.pl]]'' pointed out the problematic message of ''Wieża. Jasny dzień'': ''Not only stylistically is this cinema intended for a narrow audience, but its message is also very disturbing''.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Adamski |first=Łukasz |date=2018-03-22 |title=„Wieża. Jasny dzień”. Wiedźma kontra umierająca religia. RECENZJA |url=https://wpolityce.pl/kultura/387075-wieza-jasny-dzien-wiedzma-kontra-umierajaca-religia-recenzja |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=wpolityce.pl |language=pl}}</ref> In his opinion, the film suggests that contemporary, secularized Poles, faced with the absence of God, are left with ''dense forests and paying homage to another deity''.<ref name=":5" /> According to Adrian Luzar from the ''[[Interia]]'' portal, Jagoda Szelc's film is characterized by a ''disordered, somewhat crippled style, colliding overly zealous, documentary [[Realism (theatre)|realism]] with scenes reminiscent of [[Xavier Dolan]]'s films''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Luzar |first=Adrian |date=2017-09-19 |title="Wieża. Jasny dzień" [recenzja]: Ciemno, prawie noc |url=https://film.interia.pl/raport-gdyn...-dzien-recenzja-ciemno-prawie-noc,nId,2442126 |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=film.interia.pl |language=pl}}</ref>
=== Critical reception abroad ===
''Wieża. Jasny dzień'' also caught the attention of foreign critics. Sarah Ward from the British magazine ''Screen'' selected Jagoda Szelc's film as one of the ten female-directed works to watch in 2018.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ward |first=Sarah |date=2018-06-05 |title=Sydney Film Festival picks 10 female directors to watch in 2018 |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2050502326/6586D8EF74F14B3DPQ/1?accountid=196403 |journal=Screen International |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/2022022...EF74F14B3DPQ/1?accountid=196403&forcedol=true |archive-date=2022-02-28 |access-date=2022-02-28}}</ref> However, Neil Young from ''[[The Hollywood Reporter|Hollywood Reporter]]'' gave a negative assessment of ''Wieża. Jasny dzień'', stating that although there are ''glimmers of talent on various fronts'' in the film, ultimately it is a ''hollow rehash of well-worn stylistic tropes''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Young |first=Neil |date=2018-02-19 |title=‘Tower. A Bright Day’ (‘Wieza. Jasny dzien’): Film Review {{!}} Berlin 2018 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/tower-a-bright-day-wieza-jasny-dzien-1085839/ |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref> Ben Sachs from ''Chicago Reader'' compared Szelc's debut to other female-directed works such as [[Lucrecia Martel]]'s ''[[La ciénaga (film)|La Ciénaga]]'' (2001) and [[Alice Rohrwacher]]'s ''[[The Wonders (film)|The Wonders]]'' (2014), but noted that with Jagoda Szelc, ''there is a lack of humor and compassion that characterizes other films. Szelc's perspective is so pessimistic and dark that one often feels like it's a horror film, and the overwhelmingly eerie music and sound effects reinforce this association''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sachs |first=Ben |date=2019-03-07 |title=Tower. A Bright Day. |url=http://chicagoreader.com/film/tower-a-bright-day/ |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=Chicago Reader |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Awards ==
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Festival/organizer
!Award
!Recipient
!Result
|-
| rowspan="4" |2017
| rowspan="3" |[[Gdynia Film Festival]]
|Award for directorial debut or second film
|Jagoda Szelc
|Winner<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=Festiwal w Gdyni. Złote Lwy dla ‘Cichej nocy’, ‘Wieża. Jasny dzień’ najlepszym debiutem. To był festiwal młodych, świetnych twórców |url=https://wyborcza.pl/7,101707,22416894,festiwal-w-gdyni-zlote-lwy-dla-cichej-nocy-wieza-jasny.html |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=wyborcza.pl |language=pl}}</ref>
|-
|Screenplay award
|Jagoda Szelc
|Winner<ref name=":6" />
|-
|[[Onet.pl|Onet]]'s "Discovery of the Festival" award
|Jagoda Szelc
|Winner<ref name=":6" />
|-
|Tadeusz Szymków Film Acting Festival
|Golden Puppy for supporting female actor
|Małgorzata Szczerbowska
|Winner<ref>{{Cite web |title=6. FAF 2017 |url=http://www.festiwalaktorstwa.pl/6-faf-2017/ |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=13.FAF |language=pl-PL}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="6" |2018
|''[[Polityka]]'' magazine
|[[Paszport Polityki|''Polityka''<nowiki/>'s Passport]]
|Jagoda Szelc
|Winner<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wieliczko |first=Małgorzata |date=2024-05-04 |title=Wrocławska reżyserka Jagoda Szelc z Paszportem Polityki 2017 |url=https://www.wroclaw.pl/kultura/wroclawska-rezyserka-jagoda-szelc-z-paszportem-polityki-2017 |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=Wroclaw.pl |language=pl}}</ref>
|-
|[[International Festival of Independent Cinema Off Camera|International Festival of Independent Cinema ''Off Camera'']]
|Kraków Film Award in the Main Competition "Making Way"
|
|Winner<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Suława |first=Aleksandra |date=2018-05-05 |title="Wieża. Jasny dzień" Jagody Szelc zwycięzcą 11. edycji festiwalu Netia Off Camera |url=http://www.gs24.pl/polska-i-swiat/a...-festiwalu-netia-off-camera-zdjecia,13151022/ |journal=Głos Szczeciński |language=pl |access-date=2018-05-18}}</ref>
|-
|Polish Film Festival ''FilmPoland'' in Berlin
|Jury Award
|
|Winner<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-02-17 |title=Berlinale 2018: "Wieża. Jasny dzień" zachwyca zagranicznych krytyków |url=https://kultura.onet.pl/film/wiadom...dzien-zachwyca-zagranicznych-krytykow/3hmw9ez |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=Onet Kultura |language=pl}}</ref>
|-
|[[Koszalin Film Debut Festival "The Young and Film"|Koszalin Film Debut Festival ''The Young and Film'']]
|Screenplay award
|Jagoda Szelc
|Winner<ref name=":0" />
|-
|Mammoth Lakes Film Festival
|Main Award
|
|Winner<ref name=":0" />
|-
|Festival ''KinoPolska'' in Paris
|Special Mention
|
|Winner<ref name=":0" />
|-
| rowspan="2" |2019
|[[Polish Film Academy]]
|Eagle for discovery of the year
|Jagoda Szelc
|Nomination<ref name=":0" />
|-
|[[Łódź Film School]]
|Andrzej Munk Award
|Jagoda Szelc
|Winner<ref name=":0" />
|}
== References ==
<references />
== External links ==
* ''[http://www.filmpolski.pl/fp/index.php/1240626 Wieża. Jasny dzień]'' in the ''[[FilmPolski.pl]]'' database
* ''[http://www.filmweb.pl/Film?id=775897 Wieża. Jasny dzień]'' in the [[Filmweb]] database
[[Category
olish-language films]][[Category:2018 films]]
[[Category
irectorial debut films]][[Category
olish drama films]][[Category:Films set in Poland]]
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