The year 2024 marks the 90th anniversary of the birth of Marek Hłasko, an outstanding Polish prose writer and author of film scripts. He made his debut in 1954 with the short story „Baza Sokołowska” and gained recognition with the volume of short stories „Pierwszy krok w chmurach”. Both in this collection and in subsequent works he showcased the uneasy everyday life of ordinary people. His work has a universal appeal. With his uncompromising attitude, including towards communist reality, he attracted generations of young people from all around the globe. His books have been translated into Japanese, Korean, Hebrew and almost all European languages.

Marek Hlasko strongly marked his presence in Polish cinematography. His short stories have always been eagerly screened as student shorts. He has also written scripts for important films. During the festival we aim to introduce both his works and his fascinating biography.

8th Day of Khamsin, dir. Zvika Gregory Portnoy (Poland) 2024, 77’, 15+

Marek Hłasko – writer, rebel and „Polish James Dean”, arrived in Israel in the late 1950s. The new country and its people become his inspiration, but also his downfall. A multi-storied, hypnotic and trance-like documentary in which personal perspective intertwines with literature, illustrated with never-before-shown archival footage of Hłasko’s life and the place he chose for his temporary asylum. “8th Day of Khamsin” is the story of a dream country, which turned out to be a nightmare for many, as the writer’s watchful eye has noticed more than half a century ago. What was supposed to be an angry life and legend, becomes a compulsion. Man – his own shadow. Society – the shadow of its legend.

After the screening there will be a meeting with director Zvika Gregory Portnoy and editor Zuzanna Solakiewicz.