The Cinematheque in Vancouver, BC presents another Stanisław Lem (1921, 2006) movie retrospective that includes the first biographical documentary about the famous writer: Author Solaris / Autor Solaris directed by Borys Lankosz.
Borys Lankosz, of the Reverse / Rewers fame, presents a thorough biography addressing many of the less discussed aspects of Lem’s life, starting with his Jewish roots and surviving WWII in then Polish Lwów, subsequent relocation to Kraków and starting his journalist and writing career there in the early 1950s and thriving as a journalist, columnist, writer, screenwriter, essayist and philosopher in communist Poland.
Most of the movies from the Cinematheque retrospective can be streamed only in Canada. The following Lem movies are available to viewers in the United States. I especially recommend The Congress, an extraordinary parable of our future starring Robin Wright and Harvey Keitel, although mostly animated. That movie was already screened in the US, but if you missed it, stream it from the Cinematheque.
- The Congress (2013, 122′), dir. by Ari Folman
- Author Solaris / Autor Solaris (2016, 56′), dir. by Borys Lankosz
- Short program 1: Roly Poly / Przekładaniec (1968, 35′) dir. by Andrzej Wajda and Return / Powrót (2008, 8′), dir. by Anna Błaszczyk
- Short program 2: Professor Zazul / Profesor Zazul (1962, 22′) dir. by Marek Nowicki & Jerzy Stawicki and Maska (2010, 23′) dir. by Stephen Quay and Timothy Quay
More: The Cinematheque website