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From re-polonisation, through sponsoring and the dramatic life of The Iron Lady, to political machinations in the US... What’s happening in February? New films, and... new cinema!

In February, we’ll be able to see the premiere of the long-awaited Rose by Wojtek Smarzowski, awarded the Journalists’ Prize at the 36th Polish Film Festival in Gdynia for “a moving tale that will restore your faith in love against all odds; for an honest portrayal of an important fragment of Central European history”. Smarzowski’s Rose follows a screenplay by Michał Szczerbica, revealing a shameful fragment of our own history. It takes place between 1945-46 around the old borders of Poland and Prussia. It was a very difficult period for the local inhabitants: it was the beginning of the process of re-polonisation of Masurians, Germanized since the 19th century and stripped of their own ethnic identity. The new authorities saw them as Germans, responsible for Poles’ wartime suffering, and their homes were being settled with new occupants, repatriated from the East and settlers from the Mazowsze region. The film doesn’t shy away from the brutal truth: rape and violence scenes are almost never ending. And yet love is born even in these terrible times; love between two people severely damaged by war – Rose (Agata Kulesza) and Tadeusz (Marcin Dorociński). The film also features Marcin Dziędziel, Eryk Lubos, Kinga Preis and Jacek Braciak. The film is moving, even shocking; Kulesza and Dorociński’s roles daring; Mikołaj Trzaska’s score minimalist.

The latest film by the public and critics’ favourite George Clooney gives an insight into political misdemeanours. In The Ides of March, the workings behind the scenes of American presidential elections are shown through the eyes of Stephen (Ryan Gosling), the junior campaign manager. Stephen is ambitious, intelligent, dedicated, and… gets caught in a trap. Will he lose out? After all the game keeps going, and the scales of victory could easily tip at any point… The world of politics is a disillusioned and cynical one, and everything relies on the balance between profits and losses, and on PR (standard: politicians can wage wars and lead their country to a brink of financial disaster, but under no account can they be caught having an affair). Of course we know this from our own backyard. While Clooney’s depiction of this world isn’t especially insightful, it is exceptionally accurate. The film is intelligent, shrewd, extremely well played (no exaggeration!) and filled with suspense.

February’s premieres are promising to be a real showcase of acting ability. We’ll see the outstanding Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady, directed by Phyllida Lloyd (she of the Mamma Mia! fame), and Carey Mulligan and Michael Fassbender in Steve McQueen’s critically-acclaimed erotic drama Shame.

There’s Małgorzata Szumowska’s social drama Sponsoring, starring Juliette Binoche as a journalist writing about prostitution among students, and Martin Scorsese’s visually spellbinding fantasy Hugo, based on the book by Brian Selznick. Asa Butterfield, the star of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, features in the title role.

Consider yourselves invited to the latest spot on the film and coffee map of Kraków. Kino Agrafka has now been active at 8 Krowoderska Street for two years – things are interesting and, most of all, ambitious. The “Edison Circus” Film Support Foundation which manages Agrafka is annexing another one of Kraków’s districts: Podgórze. At the site of the old Podgórze Cultural Centre, there is now the KIKA Cinema and Coffee Bar (opened 27 January): 30 seats (in the auditorium and the café), surround sound, and a 35mm projector. As well as film screenings, there will be other cultural events such as exhibitions and meetings with artists. There’s also a kids’ corner. Good luck!