Chemia

The Polish film Chemia was shown in the U.S. with the title Chemo (2015). It was co-written and directed by Bartosz Prokopowicz. The film stars Agnieszka Zulewska as Lena, a woman with breast cancer, and Tomasz Schuchardt as Benek, a physically healthy man obsessed with his own suicide.

When the two people met, the chemistry--while admittedly strange--is powerful. The rest of the film follows Lena and Benek as they interact with the world, with each other, and with the disease and suicide.

Agnieszka Zulewska must be the most beautiful woman in Poland. It's clear that director Prokopowicz can't take his eyes--or the camera-- off her. It unbalances the film a little, but it's truly amazing to see a skilled actor totally dominate a movie.

We saw this film at the excellent Little Theatre in Rochester, NY, as part of the High Falls Film Festival. HFFF is "Celebrating Women in Film." Since the director is a man, this film surely was chosen because of Agnieszka Zulewska's star performance. It will work well on a small screen. Try to find it and watch it--it's worth seeking out.