Rolling Stone NOVEMBRE 2008

Tricks of Andrzeja Jakimowskiego with Damian Ul and Ewelina Walendziak A very nice surprise, far from the way we usually see Polish cinema. This movie is a special dedication to those who equate Polish cinema only with greyness and politics: this summer tale isn't in any way mournful, on the contrary it is immersed in a warm light and carried by the charm of its young actors. Everyone can identify with the stubborness of little Stefek, aged ten, who is convinced that he can cause the return of his father, who fled after his birth. Typical of childhood, the universe he creates with lead soldiers and magical thoughts is beautifully composed and it is with pleasure that we slip into his daily fantasies. Altogether this movie shows a very Italian sensitivity, some-where between social realism and the poetry of everyday life, Andrzej Jakimo- wski reveals a real talent for filming suspended time. A "small release" that deserves further reflexion. L. J. translated by Justine Julie Charlet