Augustyniak Family Archive

collection Augustyniak Family Archive
authors Stanisław Augustyniak
length 26'38
country Brazil; Chile; Peru; Venezuela
locations Puerto Cabello, Venezuela  Rio de Janeiro, Brazil  Talcahuano, Chile 
format 8 mm
color color; black and white
signature PAFD 0051 006
description

The author of the film is Stanisław Augustyniak (born in 1920 in Warta, died in 1997 in Gdynia). He completed seven grades of primary school and mastered several trades – he was a shoemaker, tailor, furrier, plumber, carpenter, locksmith, and knew his way around electrical installations. In 1938, he went to Warsaw hoping to continue his education, but to no avail. Eventually, he enlisted in the navy in Gdynia and in 1939 ended up on ORP “Gryf”. He participated in the September Campaign as an artillery operator and member of the crew defending the peninsula. After the capitulation, he was taken into German captivity and imprisoned in the Woldenberg camp, and then assigned to work at Paul Schwartz’s inn in Wollin. There he met his future wife, Anna Witkowska, who worked at Lehmann’s, Schwartz’s neighbor. After returning to Poland, the couple had a modest wedding, and in 1946 their only son Bolesław was born. The family moved to Gdynia, where Stanisław began working as a sailor, sailing for the next 30 years in PLO under the Polish merchant flag. His amateur 8-millimeter films come from this period, which also feature his wife Anna, who accompanied him on several sailings. After finishing his work at sea, Stanisław focused on family life, dedicating much time to his cherished allotment garden in Gdynia.
Part 1
Various shots taken from the deck of PLO MS “Pawel Szwydkoj”. The camera observes a port, a coastal city, and the surrounding mountainous landscape. The film was shot in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela.
Part 2
A social gathering on the terrace of a single-story house. A group of men is sitting at the table, with an elderly woman accompanying them on a bench set slightly apart. The camera observes the surroundings – the garden, mountainous landscape in the background, a street and buildings alongside it.
Part 3
Shots taken from the ship’s deck: a mountainous coastal landscape, the sea, and sailing ships. The cameraman paid special attention to a military ship. Port shots focus on industrial architecture and mechanical equipment. Some of the footage was probably shot on the Panama Canal.
Part 4
Film shot in Peru, near the town of Matarani. The camera records a harsh, mountainous landscape and modest port architecture. It observes children playing on a rocky beach.
Part 5
Shots taken from the ship’s deck: seagulls in the sky, the sea, and ships anchored in the port.
Part 6
Various snapshots of the port city of Talcahuano in Chile: a city square, city hall, marketplace, port.
Part 7
Color film recorded in Brazil. First shots taken from the ship’s deck – a view of the bay and port – followed by various shots of a large city. The cameraman observes crowded streets and hurrying pedestrians, cars, and modern architecture. Then, he returns to the coast, where he records the beach, a seascape with distant rocky-shored islands, and sailing boats. He watches people engaged in various activities: playing on the beach, resting, taking photos. The next shots, taken from a car window, show the mountainous surroundings of Rio de Janeiro – in the distance, Corcovado with the statue of Christ the Redeemer is visible. The cameraman finally reaches his destination and documents the view of the city from the mountain top.

(WO)

keywords sailor  ship  port  vessel  boat  bay  sea  city  market  street 
source of funding Polish Film Institute