Dance Marathon (Magdalena Holland-Lazarkiewicz, 2010): Poland

Reviewed by Stacie Manifold.  Viewed at the Santa Barbara Film Festival 2011.

Director: Magdalena Holland-Lazarkiewicz

A story based in a small town in Poland where a radio station is hosting a dance marathon.  There is a large cash prize and new car for the winner.  Everyone from the town enters.

iNtroduced to a number of characters and storylines right from the beginning

Co-written screenplay by director Magdalena Holland-Lazarkiewicz and Maciej Kowalewski who has written many television series in Poland.

rEligion plays an undertone in the movie, but director refers to it as magical realism

Moral struggle..everyone needs money badly. What are people willing to do for money?

bAsed on real events that the writer/director had read about in the newspaper about dance marathons being organized

References another film called “They Shoot Horses Don’t They?”

cAst lesser known actors or amateurs so the story would feel more real

wroTe screenplay in a way not to reveal more to the audience than the characters themselves know

sHot in 24 days

Original Polish name of film is Maraton tanca

oNe of my favorite movies of the festival!