POLISH FEATURE FILM COMPETITION

KOS

2023 / 119 min / color

Spring of 1794: things are boiling over in Poland. General Tadeusz Kosciuszko has returned to the country and is planning an uprising against the Russians. He’s accompanied by his faithful friend and former slave Domingo. Following Kosciuszko is the ruthless Russian cavalry captain Dunin, who wants to capture the general before he can spark a national rebellion. At the same time, a young peasant named Ignac, the bastard son of a nobleman, dreams of being granted property and a coat of arms by his real father. The father includes him in his will, but upon his death, Ignac has to flee from his half-brother, who does everything he can to prevent the implementation of the will. Ignac has two days to appear in court with the document that proves his right to the title. During his escape, he meets Domingo, and a feeling of mutual understanding forms between them. When the moment of truth comes, Ignac will have to decide whether to continue following his dream of a coat of arms or join Kosciuszko and fight alongside him for the highest of stakes. The second film in Pawel Maślona’s directorial oeuvre is part of a recent cultural trend of re-examining the mythology around Polish nobility. Kos, which combines elements of Westerns, horror films, tragicomedies, and buddy movies, ended up being the big winner at the most recent Polish Film Festival in Gdynia, as well as at the “Eagles,” the Polish Film Awards.

• “Eagles” Polish Film Awards – Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress (Agnieszka Grochowska), Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Sound;
• Gdynia PFF – Grand Prize (Golden Lions), Best Supporting Actor (Robert Więckiewicz), Best Film Editing, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Casting, Journalists Award, Young Jury Award, Arthouse Cinemas Network Award, Polish Film Abroad Festivals and Reviews Award