Drozdow Family Archive

The author of the film is Ewa Drozdow, who filmed travels and important events in her family life with a Quarz camera, bought in a photo shop on ul. Piotrkowska in Łódź. Ewa, who works as a textile engineer, in her free time edited her films, diversifying them with plastic boards that she created from cardboard and string.

The film was made during Ewa’s trip with her parents, Zofia and Jerzy, to Italy in 1994. Shots from the bus journey, road signs and signs informing about entering Florence. Sightseeing of the city, Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower, Baptistery of Saint John – close-ups of the Gates of Paradise, Piazza della Signoria – the equestrian monument of Cosimo I de’ Medici, Palazzo Vecchio, Loggia dei Lazi – close-ups of the sculpture “Abduction of a Sabine Woman”, copy of the Michelangelo’s sculpture “David” standing in front of Palazzo Vecchio, the Fountain of Neptune, crowd of tourists at Palazzo delle Assicurazioni Generali, Ponte Vecchio (Goldsmiths’ Bridge). Tourists walk along one of the Florentine streets. Shots from the bus journey – the road to Rome, the cars passing by, a traffic jam at the gates on the motorway, road signs, Castel Sant’Angelo (Hadrian’s Mausoleum). Sightseeing the city – Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II, close-ups of the Castel Sant’Angelo visible on the other side of the Tiber, close-ups of the elements of the façade of the Supreme Court building (La Corte Suprema di Cassazione). Panorama of the city with a characteristic dome of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. Shots from the Vatican – tourists in St. Peter’s Square, close-ups of a Swiss guard guarding one of the entrance gates. Further sightseeing of the city – Papal Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran, Basilica of Saint Mary Major, Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, Zofia and Jerzy pose in front of the church, Arch of Constantine, Colosseum, Roman Forum, Arch of Septimius Severus on the Roman Forum. A trip to the Capitoline Museums, a close-up of the sculpture of the Capitoline Wolf. Bus travel, panorama of mountainous surroundings, close-ups of Monte Cassino. A trip to the Benedictine abbey, located on the top of the hill. Panorama of the area shot from the top of the hill, close-ups of the Polish war cemetery at Monte Cassino. A trip to the cemetery. Tourists walking along a cypress avenue. A bus ride down the hill. At the bottom of the hill, you can see the city of Cassino. The tour goes towards Naples, shots of information boards. Panorama of the mountainous area shot from a moving coach. On the horizon, we can see Mount Vesuvius. The bus enters the city, a shot of the Gulf of Naples. The participants of the tour get off the bus, Jerzy waves to the camera. Boat trip to the island of Capri. The port, boats moored at the marina, the participants of the tour walk on a pebble beach, Ewa stands on a stone by the shore and waves to the camera. Sighteeing the town – narrow streets, observation deck, Mediterranean vegetation. Ride by a cable car to Capri. Travel by coach, panorama of mountainous surroundings. Green flowerbed with the inscription “Cassa di Risparmio della Repubblica di San Marino”. Panorama of the area and the city shot from the hill. Sightseeing the city. Travel by coach. Walk around Lido di Jesolo. Ewa walks along the seashore. Travel by coach to Venice. Zofia and Jerzy walk through crowded, narrow streets. Crowds of tourists on St. Mark’s Square. Zofia feeds pigeons that sit on her hand. Shots of St. Mark’s Basilica, clock and bell towers. Walk along the Riva degli Schiavoni. A cruise on the Venetian canals, shots of passing gondolas and buildings, Rialto Bridge. Shopping at the souvenir stall. Return by coach, panorama of the mountains, passage through the tunnel. A break in the journey, the participants of the tour stand in the parking lot by the parked coach, talk, make tea, using a tourist gas cylinder, some smoke cigarettes. The rest of the journey, a panorama of the mountain peaks visible in the distance. 

(AT)