Summer Solstice

1943. Polish province. The war has already been going on for four years. After the defeat at Stalingrad ever younger Germans are drafted into the army. That’s how Guido, a sensitive 17-year-old, finds himself in Poland. Within an alien reality he’s trying to create an asylum for himself against the brutality of war and the vulgar world of his elder comrades, gendarmes. In a forsaken attic he listens to forbidden music – jazz, and spends his time dreaming.

At the same time, his peer Romek helps his mother after he’s lost his father and works for the railway. He’s dreaming of two things: driving a locomotive on his own and winning the heart of Franka, the daughter of a wealthy farmer. Being the assistant driver, everyday on the siding he sees the things taken away from the Jews deported to concentration camps. A gramophone with jazz records found in a Jewish suitcase will lead to a meeting of Guido, Romek and Franka. This moment will change their lives.

written and directed by Michał Rogalski
casting by Marta Kownacka
director of photography Jerzy Zieliński ASC, PSC
music by Alexander Hacke
production design by Janusz Sosnowski
costume design by Anna Englert, Magdalena Rutkiewicz-Luterek
make-up by Monika Kaleta, Dorothea Wiedermann
sound by Martin Witte
edited by Milenia Fiedler PSM, Joanna Brühl
cast Filip Piotrowicz, Jonas Nay, Urszula Bogucka, Maria Samotiuk, Steffen Scheumann, Bartłomiej Topa, Gerdy Zint, André M. Hennicke, Agnieszka Krukówna, Krzysztof Czeczot, Juliusz Krzysztof Warunek, Konstanty Zadworny, Michael Jokisch, Rainer Förster, Jochen Senf, Anita Poddębniak, Ireneusz Kozioł, Damian Ul, Jürgen Hoppman, Bartłomiej Kotschedoff, Arnd Schildbach, Christian Junghanß, Adam Szyszkowski, Jakub Drozdek, Jakub Korzystka, Artur Krajewski, Sabina Karwala
produced by Prasa i Film, Sunday Filmproduktions
producer Maciej Strzembosz
co-produced by Martens Film und Fernsehproduktions, Telewizja Polska, Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg, Synchron- Und Tonstudio Leipzig, Odra-Film, Studio Produkcyjne Orka, Wytwórnia Filmów Dokumentalnych i Fabularnych
production managers Andrzej Besztak, Grzegorz Olkowski
co-financed by Polski Instytut Sztuki Filmowej, Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Deutscher Filmförderfonds, Filmförderanstalt
world sales Wide Management (Francja)