GUESTS is a road trip documentary that accompanies three Poles on one of their weekly trips between Berlin and Lodz. Witek, who came to Germany to pay off his debts by working on a construction site. Mirek, a painter, who operates a lift truck in a German car factory. And Karolina, who decided to start a new life in Berlin and took a job as a graphic designer. Although they don’t know each other, there is a mutual understanding between the three. They share the fear of losing connection to their roots and the wish to explore their own idea of home. As they say, they are immigrants and emigrants, who have become guests in their own houses. The ride is a looped motive of their life rhythm – there and back. A constant factor between uncertainty and indecisiveness. A moment of relief in which they don’t have to decide where they come from or where they belong. An occasion for reflection and connection through other passengers’ stories. And for the silence to find the right words for something that is better expressed by the passing trees, road signs and the sound of a closing trunk.
CAST
Karolina Gębka, Witold Krzysztof Wronka, Mirosław Sasin
CREW
Director: Natalia Zuch
Cinematography: Svea Immel
Editing: Piotr Ogiński, Natalia Zuch
Sound: Nils Plambeck
Sound Design: Nils Plambeck
Production: Natalia Zuch
Grading: Paul Holdsworth
Trailer: Daniela Garcia Del Pomar, Natalia Zuch
English Translation: Natan Brzozowski, Juli Van Cleve
German Translation: Aleksandra Rieder-kollesińska, Paul Toetzke
Poster Design: Weronika Sieradzka
2018, “Coming Closer”, 7’
2020, “Goście”, 21’
2021, “Re: Zwischen den Fronten – Lebensretter an Polens Ostgrenze“, 35’
FESTIVALS
“Goście” was selcted for the East Silver 2020 by the Institute of Documentary Film.