Symphony of the Ursus Factory

  • 61'
  • Poland
  • 2018

The Ursus factory once covered 170 hectares and employed 20,000 workers, producing 100 tractors a day. Now, its buildings stand derelict and empty; half have already been demolished by investors with new plans. The symphony of mechanical sounds and gestures that is gradually built up throughout the film is produced by former factory employees. Proud of their factory, they reminisce about the huge numbers of people and the parties they had. They were a community, passionate about supporting agriculture through their factory. The Ursus tractor was well-known, not only in Poland but throughout the world.

The energy these people had becomes palpable in their re-enactments. This is the story of bygone forms of labour. Jaśmina Wójcik worked with this group for nine months. She does not permit nostalgia, but offers a glimpse of an era we can no longer imagine.

Director
Jaśmina Wójcik
Country of production
Poland
Year
2018
Festival Edition
IFFR 2019
Length
61'
Medium
DCP
Original title
Symfonia Fabryki Ursus
Language
Polish
Producers
Zuzanna Król, Wojciech Marczewski
Production Company
Wajda Studio
Sales
Monoduo Films
Screenplay
Igor Stokfiszewski, Jaśmina Wójcik
Cinematography
Kacper Czubak
Editor
Aleksandra Gowin
Music
Dominik Strycharski
Website
http://www.jasminawojcik.pl
Director
Jaśmina Wójcik
Country of production
Poland
Year
2018
Festival Edition
IFFR 2019
Length
61'
Medium
DCP
Original title
Symfonia Fabryki Ursus
Language
Polish
Producers
Zuzanna Król, Wojciech Marczewski
Production Company
Wajda Studio
Sales
Monoduo Films
Screenplay
Igor Stokfiszewski, Jaśmina Wójcik
Cinematography
Kacper Czubak
Editor
Aleksandra Gowin
Music
Dominik Strycharski
Website
http://www.jasminawojcik.pl