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Doc shows US audiences Poland’s commitment in Afghanistan

PR dla Zagranicy
Peter Gentle 17.05.2013 12:15
Polish documentary film makers embedded themselves with Polish troops in Afghanistan and brought back a movie showing American audiences what contribution Poland has made as part of the ISAF international mission in the war-torn country.

Bagram
Bagram base, Afghanistan: photo - Jan Paweł Trzaska

Poland has been a crucial ally in the United State’s decade-long war in Afghanistan, but Polish soldiers’ heroism and constant friendship has often gone unacknowledged.

The movie by director Małgorzata Imielska shed light onto the efforts of Polish troops in Afghanistan through the documentary Survive Afghanistan (Przeżyć Afganistan) and shared the film with American audiences in hope of promoting a greater understanding of Poland’s contribution.

“It was very important to us to show our documentary in the United States because we are a partner, Polish soldiers are a partner,” explains the movie’s director of photography, Jan Paweł Trzaska. “There are almost 3000 Polish soldiers fighting in Afghanistan and dying for this war.”

In 2011, Trzaska, producer Wojciech Szczudło and director Małgorzata Imielska traveled with a contingent of Polish soldiers who had been deployed for 6 months to Ghazni, Afghanistan, an area which is mainly patrolled by Polish troops.

They filmed the soldiers’ hardships of leaving their home and families to immerse themselves in the brutal realities of war.

“After, many soldiers wanted to go back to Afghanistan,” said Trzaska. “There are problems because Polish people don’t really know what Polish soldiers are doing and why. So this is a movie about the war’s influence on humans.”

The documentary was shown to Polish audiences on Poland’s TVP chanell, but the film also had a significant impact on American viewers.

From October 2012 to April 2013, Trzaska and Szczudło, with the help of the Kosciuszko Foundation, traveled to Long Beach, California, New York City, and Washington DC, showing the film to audiences that were largely unaware of the extent of Poland’s involvement in the war.

“I was very impressed with the big audience in Washington, and a lot of Americans came. There was a long question and answer session, and even after people were asking more and more questions,” recalls Trzaska.

This display of Poland’s collaborative efforts often leads to the question of what the U.S. is doing to reciprocate their part of the friendship.

“I don’t understand if we are friends and we are helping in their war in Afghanistan then why do we need a visa to go to the United States,” points out Trzaska. “But I do think the relationship is getting stronger and is very important for both countries to help each other in global problems.” (as/pg)

Surviving Afghanistan trailer (Polish langauge)

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