On the pole to the whole. About the film Exotic

On the pole to the whole. On the film Exotic

Festival Newspaper Published on 23.09.2026

Exotic, dir. Sonja Orlewicz-Zakrzewska

Weronika Zarzecka

When a thirty-year-old Mila, whose twitches and inner monologue sound like a mix of Marek Koterski’s prose and darkest fears from Instagram, finds herself by the Polish sea with a mission to overcome poles and mean voices in her head, something like an unforced, honest fun comes into Polish debuts’ screening rooms.

Sonja Orlewicz-Zakrzewska works on a theme that would become a preachy bore about self-acceptance in the hands of a less skillful filmmaker. Meanwhile, this story is interestingly warm and funny, thanks to Mila, who as a perfect representative of Y Generation, struggles with toxic, persevering overthinking. Despite having a scenario for every situation, the thought of being judged petrifies her.

We meet her just before her departure for a pole dance training camp, where (please note!) a) she doesn’t know anybody because her friend didn’t go with her b) she doesn’t like herself very much c) Bartosz Bielenia, playing her boyfriend, seems to be supporting her but it’s only an impression. Let’s add to that fabulous, latex platform shoes and a baggage full of complexes from the past, with which she has to get off in the middle of this foreign land, and we are left with our thoughts and prayers for her. Girls at the training camp seem loud, living in la-la Land, coming from a different world. The deeper Mila goes into the camping forest, the faster crack the shells of prejudice. Instead of awkward dodges or rivalry, a thread of understanding and silent solidarity appears between them. Because each and every one of us has some sort of baggage on our back.

Visually-wise, it works thanks to the accurate self-awareness. Orlewicz-Zakrzewska knows when to give viewers a wink. The structure of the film plays with itself - Mila’s inner voice may be a little annoying at first but later it catches the right rhythm. However, it’s not even.

Sometimes it gets better, sometimes it gets worse. But when it gets better… it really is better.

Since the story revolves around this pole, it’s worth mentioning that modern cinema is greatly tempted to turn the female body into a symbol. To make every period of fatigue, every bruise and stretch mark an evidence of societal equity. It takes only one false tone, one too high and mighty dialogue about “finding oneself” to make all this honesty turn into mere theory.

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Luckily, Orlewicz-Zakrzewska steers clear of it. Body in EXOTIC is neither a political tribune or teary demonstration and keeps its distance from male voyeurism. It’s just a painful matter with its imperfections, fighting back and remembering all past failures. Instead of educating the audience, the film lets its characters breathe. Without even a shadow of journalistic bombast but with a rare dose of tenderness.

Pole dance is no longer a tacky film-fetish but becomes a ruthless training ground, pure, heavy acrobatics. Every hit of metal against the skin is a final chance to get even with all expectations, in which the body has to please everyone instead of belonging only to the one who actually has it. Mila doesn’t discover anything new about herself - she just learns to accept her own imperfections, this version of herself which is constantly changing and not magically changed overnight. Because the change, to quote Jonas Mekas playing on a loop in Mila’s headphones, is beautiful.

And then the finale - even though it’s not surprising, at least it doesn’t give us a cheap Hollywood-style catharsis. It leaves us with a pure joy, won in distress.

Because if we got a closer, harsher look on EXOTIC, we would see moments, in which the director lacks a few seconds or a bit of craziness to be all in on some experimental bits and don’t look back. Sometimes one can get a feeling that the filmmakers changed their mind last moment, deciding to go back onto safer, gentler tracks. But when they chose to take a risk without any precaution, when they forgot about the brakes and allowed themselves to go wild structure-wise, these moments became the true core of the film. In those bold, nonlinear acts of ecstasy, the heart of EXOTIC beats the loudest.

And her. Jaśmina Polak appears on screen with a striking effortlessness and rapaciousness and later carries the film on her shoulders through all shallows and longueurs, proving that something fresh can be cut out from even the most cliche schemes.
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None of this would work with such might if it wasn’t for a phenomenal ensemble gathered on the set of EXOTIC. Magdalena Koleśnik, Monika Frajczyk, Bartosz Bielenia and Karolina Kowalska together with Hubert Miłkowski enter this world as a cross-section micro community, in which everyone represents a slightly different shade of modern loss and a desperate need of closeness.

It’s also worth appreciating how this film sounds. Tymek Papior was responsible for the soundtrack and Martyna Dominikowska, Ilja Medvedev and Polina Larovski for precise choreography of dance sequences. All of this creates a show which isn’t a theatrical travesty but something genuine, with a spark that can touch you through the screen.

EXOTIC has its scratches, sometimes it’s too similar to Masłowska’s jargon and trips up its own feet but it’s an exceptionally lively debut. There are some cringy moments but in comparison with other new Polish comedies, it shines with freshness and punk frankness, which allows some crisp air on this stuffy, domestic film space. It’s simply a good film that leaves you feeling like dumping your boyfriend, leaving your old life behind and just going out for a dance.

EXOTIC, dir. Sonja Orlewicz-Zakrzewska.This film is a part of the Main Competition.