The choice of Olsztyn is not accidental – the film was shot near this city. Director Grzegorz Dębowski this is what he said about it: – It’s a big responsibility to take a real city and talk about it. It’s safer to create a place that doesn’t exist. Film village with “Absolutely nothing” consists of four different villages from the Olsztyn area.
Production manager Agnieszka Skalska added: – Warmia is a very important part of this project and I feel that we have all grown into Warmia. As the filmmakers emphasized, the owners of the farms used as action locations were extremely helpful. Among other things, they trained the main actor Artur Paczesnyso that he can operate agricultural machinery and know how to take care of cows.
The director also pointed out a certain element that is essential in the visual layer of the film: – Mud is the theme! I heard this conversation between father and son. The son said he didn’t want his children to hide in the mud, and the father replied that he and his son did, so what was the point? I thought it was important to have mud. We shot in March and the weather didn’t help us, it was very changeable, we had three seasons a day. Autumn in the morning, summer at noon, winter in the afternoon. “In March it’s like a pot” – for the first time I really felt what it meant!
Jarek (Artur Paczesny) is a farmer of flesh and blood who is not afraid of hard work or confrontation with the authorities. When a local MP betrays the interests of the locals, Jarek becomes the leader of the protest and organizes a picket in front of the politician’s house. Little does he know that he will soon find himself in the middle of a dark intrigue that will threaten his loved ones and put his dream future into question…
The film was appreciated during the last Polish Film Festival in Gdynia. Grzegorz Dębowski was awarded for the best directorial debut and the best screenplay. Artur Paczesny, who played the main role, was named the best actor. Agnieszka Kwietniewska she won the award for best supporting actress. “Whatever” is in cinemas from March 8!