Buda Family Archive

Zygmunt Buda was born in Poznań in 1924 and was interested in photography since his childhood. From 1941, he worked in the Poznań photographic company Foto-Stewner, founded by Ernest Stewner. After the end of the war, he worked as a photographer in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, from which, in the 50s, he was dismissed for political incorrectness. From the 60s, he worked in the Film Services Department at the corner of Marszałkowska and Krucza streets in Warsaw. Zygmunt recorded films with a business camera with a 16-millimeter tape and a private SANYO camera with an 8-millimeter tape, which he received as a gift from a family living in the USA. His sons, Jacek and Marek, as well as the next generations of the Buda family, also became enthusiasts of filming family life.

An account of the early childhood of little Piotr, Irmina and Jacek Buda’s son. 

Part 1 

The film begins with a board with the date “31.01.86”. Little Piotr plays in the apartment, draws and hugs his mother.

Part 2 

A board with the date “14.02.86”. Piotr talks on the phone with his grandmother and sends her kisses, kissing the phone handset. The boy plays at home with a train and a gift from grandpa Franek (Irmina’s father) – penguins on the slide.

 Part 3 

A board with the date “02.03.86”. Winter walk in the forest in Groty area. Irmina pulls Piotr on a sledge. Then the boy plays with his grandmother, Ela (Irmina’s mother). Piotr watched over by Zygmunt, his paternal grandfather, jumps in the melting snow and plays on the playground.

 Part 4 

A board with the date “25.04.86”. A family walk in the park in Wilanów. Piotr sniffs flowering trees and magnolias, which are shown to him by his grandfather, Zygmunt.

 Part 5 

A board with the date “11.05.86”. A trip to the zoo. Piotr drives a toy car on the sidewalk, then, together with mom and dad, he watches animals in their enclosure, has an ice-cream and sits in a children’s car.

 Part 6 

A board with the date “26.05.86”. Piotr gives Irmina flowers and recites a poem on the occasion of Mother’s Day. Garden plots at al. Waszyngtona in Warsaw. Irmina sunbathes on a blanket, Piotr draws with chalk on walls and stairs, then swings on a swing.

 Part 7

A board with the date “26.08.86”. Jola (Jacek’s cousin) with her son, Daniel, in her arms waves to the camera. Zygmunt sits on a bench and washes his grandson’s hands. Jacek feeds his son soup.

Part 8

A board with the date “30.08.86”. Piotr sits on his potty set in the room, then plays with toys.

 Part 9

Boards with the inscription “Międzyzdroje July 1986” and “8.07.86 (Świnoujście)”. Piotr plays on rocking toys.

 Part 10

A board with the date “14.07.86”. Piotr, together with other children, sits on a large wooden fish, from which he jumps off with the help of his mother. Then he plays on rocking toys. Irmina and her son wave to Jacek, who films them from the window of the resort. The family spends time on the beach. Piotr plays in an inflatable pool and swims on a small inflatable raft with his dad. Irmina sunbathes on a sun lounger.

 Part 11 

A board with the date “31.07.86”. The celebration of Piotr’s third birthday held in the Groty area. The birthday boy blows out candles on his birthday cake, guests clap their hands. At the table, there is Grażyna (Irmina’s friend) and Renia (the boy’s nanny).

 Part 12

A board with the date “3.08.86”. Piotr’s second birthday party was organized in the apartment of his grandparents (Zygmunt and Katarzyna Buda) at ul. Puławska in Warsaw. The boy blows out the candles on his birthday cake. Shots of Jola Jarocińska and Zygmunt Buda sitting at the table and dancing children: Piotr, Paweł, Ania (children of Marek, Jacek’s brother) and Daniel (Jola’s son).

(AT)