Kleine Tricks

"Judge by the engine, not by the mirror or radio" a driver advises another of his car, in this enchanting comedy drama with deep undercurrents. It's a maxim that might equally be applied to Tricks, a film whose well-crafted side-attractions (Tomasz Gassowski's dazzling score, and a rich painterly aesthetic) could divert attention from the finely-tuned engine of the story, ticking away softly in the background as it carries us quietly to our destination.

Precocious six-year-old Stefek (Damian Ul) lives with his adored teenage sister Elka (Ewelina Walendziak) and his rarely seen, shop-bound mother (Iwona Fornalczyk) in a sleepy post-Communist town just outside Warsaw. With no friends of his own age, life for Stefak revolves around playing with his tin soldiers on the railway tracks, cadging motorbike rides from his sister's car mechanic boyfriend Jerzy (Rafal Guzniczak), and attempting to discover the precise combination of factors that makes his neighbour's doves fly their coop on a given signal.

One day, Stefek spots a commuter at the station changing trains whom he convinces himself is their estranged father (Tomasz Sapryk). Although he abandoned his mother when Stefek was just a baby ("trapped by a woman" says Elka), he is able to recognise him from a crumpled and almost completely defaced photograph he carries in his wallet. Though Elka reacts dismissively to his plans, Stefek aims to reunite his parents ("can we reclaim him?") through a game or 'trick' his sister has taught him. As he tells Jerzy, "Careful with her, she knows tricks. She just won't admit it." The trick, which Elka demonstrates in a couple of wonderful vignettes, involves 'bribing' fate - influencing fortune without lifting a finger. All you have to do is announce your intentions to the universe, then sit back while the universe does the job for you. Stefek, however, reckons fate could do with a little shove, and through an ingenious scheme sets out to divert his father off the train platform and straight into his mother's grocery shop.

"Nothing is happening" Stefek glumly tells Elka, after his elaborate plans, involving his tin soldiers, a handful of coins and a flock of doves, seem to have come to nought. Ah, but there always is, his wiser sister replies. "Don't you feel the ground tremble?" It is this sense of something momentous coming, like a train down the tracks, that propels the award-winning Tricks, only the second feature after 2002's 'Zmruz Oczy' ('Squint Your Eyes') for philosophy graduate Andrzej Jakimowski, though it already feels like the work of a more seasoned director.

Indebted to both neo-realist Italian cinema and a gently spellbinding magic realism, Tricks richly succeeds in portraying life from an imaginative child's perspective, in which the most ordinary of objects and places take on an enchanted significance; Fredric Jameson's "poetic transformation of the object world". The importance of local community, and the role it plays in shaping affairs, is often central to the magic realist tradition, and here, Adam Bajerski's lush, golden-hued photography brings Stefan and Elkas's otherwise dingy, working-class mining town to vivid life, with its diverse population of street-sellers, village "sluts" and bird fanciers. Among a cast of non-professional actors, little Damian Ul is terrific as the pugnacious, single-minded Stefek, and Ewelina Walendziak just as good as his slyly practical sister, not long out of girlhood herself but increasingly burdened by adult responsibilities and difficult choices. Their relationship, based on the director's own when he was growing up, feels utterly authentic. In fact, as the opening titles state, the film is dedicated to "my sister, who made me sit on top of the wardrobe".

Stefek (Damian UI) is a bright and very observant six-year-old boy who lives with his teenage sister Elka (Ewelina Walendziak) and their mother (Iwona Fornalczyk) in a Polish village outside of Warsaw. Stefan has never seen his father (Tomasz Sapryk) who abandoned the family before he was born but thinks he recognizes him from a defaced picture in his wallet as the man boards a train each morning. Andrzej Jakimowski's Tricks is one of those rare films that you wish would never end. Winner of the Europa Cinemas prize at the Venice Film Festival, it is a delightful blend of sensitivity, intelligence, humor, and magical realism that transforms the simple truths of childhood into cinematic poetry.

The title does not refer to "turning tricks", magic shows, or being bamboozled. It is about the idea, not really a trick at all, that so-called fate can be bended to our will and Jakimowski, who studied Philosophy at the University of Warsaw, makes a very convincing case for the power of intention. The film comments on contemporary small town life in Poland as it moves from one vignette to another in an almost documentary-like manner. Elka has taught Stefek how to "bribe" fate, believing that it can be manipulated. All that is necessary, she thinks, is to declare your purpose and sit back and watch the universe comply. Stefek, on the other hand, thinks that you have to take concrete action rather than merely observing.

To prove his point, he crumbles a burger wrapper and throws it neatly into the garbage bin at the park. Elka, however, simply places the wrapper on the ground near the bin and watches as it is passed from the owner of a hungry dog to a homeless man and then into the trash without her doing a thing. In another scene, Stefek comes to the aid of an ignored apple seller by buying some of his apples and hopefully setting an example for others. She tries a different way and succeeds. Fascinated by his sister's powers, Stefek sets out to inform fate that he wants his father back and is willing to use any means at his disposal to accomplish that including toy soldiers, Elka's auto-mechanic boyfriend Jerzy (Rafal Guzniczak), coins that he throws on the railroad tracks, and a flock of pigeons.

Elka denies that the man Stefek identifies is really their father and refuses to become involved in the boy's plans, being too busy washing dishes at a restaurant, studying Italian, and concentrating on getting a job with an Italian businessman. Jakimowski has coaxed outstanding performances from his mainly non-professional cast and the film reaches a level of authenticity and poetry that is rare for a director making only his second feature. Relationships are affectionate especially the one that young Stefek strikes up with the man at the train station, ultimately devising a scheme to try and bring him back to his mother's grocery shop. Supported by cinematographer Adam Bajerski's stunning close-ups and wide-street shots and a pitch perfect score by Tomasz Gassowski, Tricks is a genuinely moving film that may just bribe fate to make it a contender for Best Foreign Film at next year's Oscars.

'Tricks' (or 'Sztuczki' ) is an utterly charming and delightful film by Polish director Andrzej Jakimowski,. A young Polish boy, Stefek, is determined to find his father, whom he has never met. He has an active imagination and tries various 'tricks' to succeed. He believes in a chain of events, and that one thing will lead to the next, and that he can induce or 'bribe' fate to do what he wants. In this case to find his father. And Stefek is not one to give up lightly.

The backdrop is a small Polish village, where we witness a slice of small town life, where much activity is focused on the railway line that crosses the town.

His sister Elka is trying to find a better job, but also has to look after the boy while their mother works in a shop, and even when Elka is with her boyfriend. We meet several other colourful characters in town as young Stefek continues his quest.

It is the subtleties, the understatements that make this film so special: Stefek hesitating before answering questions, the 'tricks' he plays with coins and toy soldiers, the way how he attempts to discover the combination of factors that makes his neighbour's pigeons fly their coop. Director Jakimowski did an outstanding job.

Technically too this is an excellent film; the richly-hued cinematography by Adam Bajerski and soundtrack by Tomasz Gassowski in particular are outstanding. And then the acting by the non- professional cast; the boy Stefek played by Damian Ul, is a true natural and gave a magic performance, and so too his sister Elka (Ewelina Walendziak).

I am looking forward watching this gem of a film again. 8/10.

One of the truly wonderful Eastern European films. "Sztuczki" beautifully captures the spirit of the small post soviet town. I found it very recognizable as I come from that kind of place myself.

The relationship between reality of that kind of life and dream world is shown subtly and accurately in those characters. "Sztuczki" is a deep film, but the aftertaste is light and positive.

I particularly loved the casting – little boy, his sister, boy with motorcycle, mystery guy from the train platform, neighbors and ordinary passers-by – they all were poetical impersonations of the emotions people deal with in a town like that - boredom, longing, coping with everyday life, affection.

Beautiful filming, writing and acting.

Stefek and his older sister Elka are the main characters of this film - and from what the opening line states (the director dedicates the film to his older sister) its possible that the film is 'semi-autobiographical'.

Their relationship almost borders on mother and son as Elka says to Steffek, she is 'both Mom and Dad' to him, and that is what the movie mostly revolves around – the antics of young Steffek and how Elka does her best to watch out for him, and balance that job with the one she has at a restaurant and another job that she is desperately trying to win in a big firm in that small town. Steffek, meanwhile is someone who totally believes in fortune and how one could get lucky in different ways, like, by throwing coins on the railway tracks and keeping his fingers crossed for hours as Elka waits in queue for her interview.

There are other quite important characters in this film too, like the man who Steffek believes is his father and Elka's boyfriend apart from some minor roles played by their mother, neighbor and a few others. All in all, it's a very simple film and Jakimowski keeps the storyline pretty straightforward. That is the secret to the beauty of this film – its simplicity. It's also quite funny at times and it opens a window into Polish small-town life, and it kind of made want to visit this town - If I could find it, and if I were living not too far from there, I would - if it meant just spending a lazy weekend there, taking a stroll, a swim or just sipping some coffee and watching the trains go by.

Lastly, like I stated in the Summary (based on my humble opinion) - there was a hint of Kusturica - his brilliance and his kind of humour – and like most Kusturica films, it was set in a Central/East European small-town, and was accompanied by catchy and well-composed music that fell into place with every scene. There was nothing to complain about - in direction, plot, acting nor the music.

Like Steffek, I keep my fingers crossed for Jakimowski (and other Polish directors) for a lot of success and acclaim that will pave the way for more projects of this genre / quality..