by Martin I. Petrov
UnitedStatesofLove is Tomasz Wasilewski's third feature film, premiering today at the Berlinale Competition. It tells the story of four women in post-communist Poland in early 1990. A dark and simultaneously humorous insight in the lives of female figures and their fights for love.
At the press conference, held early this morning, Wasilewski and the cast presented the film at the last day of competition screenings at the Berlinale.
Julia Kijowska, playing one of the four women, Agata, explained that Tomasz had a very specific idea about her part and her appearance since the very beginning, "we had to change the way my face looked like, my hair, everything, it was exciting and so strange at the same time. Later on, on a question about the political context of the film, she responded: "It's a metaphor for communism. The four characters are trapped like birds in a cage. In the beginning they fight but eventually they decide to sit patiently in the corner awaitng a release."
Magdalena Cielecka, playing Iza, pointed out how challenging it was to engage with the character. "When Tomasz told me he thought of me when writing the character, I got scared that I might not be able to pull it out - we have all worked in theatre for many years and this was a big challenge."
Wasilewski spoke about his childhood growing up mainly surrounded by women - his mother, sister and friends - which inspired him to write these four characters. Religion, which becomes a strong symbol in United States of Love, was also part of his early years, he recalls: "We used to go to the church every Sunday as the characters do in the film. It was part of the tradition and the quite conservative catholic society I grew up in."
