PFF Miami presents a movie program celebrating the centennial of the famous Polish sci-fi writer, essayist, philosopher and futurist Stanisław Lem (1921-2006).
Perhaps best known worldwide as the author of the 1961 novel, “Solaris,” Stanisław Lem produced dozens upon dozens of novels, stories and essays throughout his nearly 60-year career. Renowned particularly for his work in the realm of science fiction, Lem’s artistic output covers a plethora of genres, encompassing memoirs, accounts of his wartime experiences and philosophical texts. His science fiction narratives themselves often take unexpected and experimental forms, extending freely into the territories of philosophy and satire to create worlds that to contemporary eyes eerily prefigure everything from Google to virtual reality and smartphones.
This series spotlights some of the many eclectic, cinematic adaptations of Lem’s work, from filmmakers as diverse as Andrei Tarkovsky (SOLARIS [1972]) and Andrzej Wajda (ROLY POLY) to Ari Folman (THE CONGRESS) and Steven Soderbergh (SOLARIS [2002]). The presentation will also include IKARIS XB-1 and HIS MASTER’S VOICE, Lem’s inspired films produced in Central Europe, where Lem’s heritage has been particularly strong. The screenings will be accompanied by introductions from film and literature experts: Michał Oleszczyk, a renowned Polish film critic and scholar, Marek Piestrak, the director of INQUEST OF PILOT PIRX, Tomasz Kolankiewicz, the artistic director of the Gdynia Polish Film Festival, Eliza Rose, an assistant professor of Central European Studies at the University of North Carolina and sci-fi literature expert, and Gabriel Paletz, a professor of Film History at the Prague Film School.
The series is presented by the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, the Polish Film Festival Miami and the Embassy of Poland in Washington, D.C. For all films screening online in AFI Silver’s Virtual Screening Room, click here to get tickets. All film screenings online via the Polish Film Festival Miami will be available for FREE – just visit movies.pffmiami.com.
Movies streamed at AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center (tickets $12) include:
- 5/7 -5/13 Icarus XB-1 / Ikarie XB-1 (1963, 83′), dir. Jindřich Polák, based on the novel The Magellanic Cloud / Obłok Magellana
- 5/14-5/20 The Congress (2013, 122′), dir. Ari Folman, based on the novel The Futorological Congress / Kongress futurologiczny
- 5/19-5/25 Hospital of the Transfiguration / Szpital przemieninia (1979, 90′), dir. Edward Żebrowski, based the novel of the same title
- 5/21-5/27 Solaris (1972, 167′), dir. Andrei Tarkowski, based on the novel Solaris
- 5/28-6/3 Solaris (2002, 99′), dir. Steven Soderbergh, based on the novel Solaris
Free movies streamed by PFF Miami include (some dates have been extended):
- 4/29-5/21 Inquest of Pilot Pirx (1978, 95′), dir. Marek Piestrak, based on story from the Tales of Pirx the Pilot / Opowieści o pilocie Pirxie series
- 5/5-5/23 Roly Poly / Przekładaniec (1968, 35′), dir. Adrzej Wajda, based on Lem’s script
- 5/12-5/23 His Master’s Voice (2018, 95′), dir. György Pálfi, based the novel of the same title
- 5/12-5/23 The Room, dir. Krzysztof Jankowski, based on a short story from the Star Diaries / Dzienniki gwiazdowe series
- 5/26-6/10 Space Travel / Wycieczka w kosmos (1962, 11′), dir. Krzysztof Dębowski, animated movie based on Lem’s script
- 5/26-6/10 – Trap / Pułapka, dir. dir. Krzysztof Dębowski, animated movie based on Lem’s script