Małanicz Family Archive

collection Małanicz Family Archive
authors Eugeniusz Małanicz
starring Eugeniusz Małanicz
length 06'54
country Poland
format 16 mm
color black and white
signature PAFD 0039 119
description

Eugeniusz Małanicz was born in 1904 in Zelczyn. He was an electrical engineer by education, and a passionate moviegoer and collector of films and film cameras. In 1925, he founded a travelling cinema “Oaza”, touring the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship. Although the business went bankrupt after a year, the passion for cinematography remained with Eugeniusz until his death. In December 1939, he moved with his family to Warsaw and settled in Saska Kępa. An important place in his life was Giby – a village in the Podlaskie Voivodeship, to which he traveled from the 40s. There he rested, kayaked and took pictures. Eugeniusz died in Giby in 1982, and the hood of his beloved car (Hansa) rested on his tombstone.
Part 1

The Małanicz family at the Christmas Eve table, platters of food are being passed around. After dinner, participants are looking at their Christmas gifts – one of the women is showing off her tall boots to the camera.

Part 2

The camera captures attempts to train a rooster. At the end, a man poses with the bird in his arms, tenderly stroking its back.

Part 3

Eugeniusz is maneuvering a Hansa car. He gets out and poses for the camera.

Part 4

Continuation of part 2. A man is playing with the rooster, finally taking it in his arms.

Part 5

Eugeniusz opens the hood and repairs the car. Then, the camera shows him at the workshop, examining and turning a metal engine part in his hands.

Part 6

Three men are laying the foundation for a summer cabin: they are carrying soil and cement bags with wheelbarrows.

Part 7

A wide shot of the bathing beach. Vacationers are riding a motorboat on the lake.

Part 8

Continuation of part 6. A truck is delivering construction materials and prefabricated structural elements. A crane moves a massive concrete ring and sets it down on the ground.

Part 9

The camera captures various scenes from the summer cabin: a small dog running up to a man varnishing a kayak, a group of people pushing a bus, children’s games. A recurring motif is the chickens – the cameraman is particularly keen on observing them interacting with people.

(WO, AT)

keywords Christmas  Christmas Eve  gifts  Christmas table  family  rooster  chickens  car  engine  construction  summer cabin  crane  bus  lake  dog  children 
source of funding Polish Film Institute