The Apostles of Rock’n’Roll. – Polish Film Festival

The Apostles of Rock’n’Roll

Festival Newspaper Published on 26.09.2026

Patryk Pietrzak i Mikołaj Bukrewicz

– Before we became musicians, actors and filmmakers, we were fans first and foremost. We listened to records that turned our whole world upside down, say Mikołaj Bukrewicz and Patryk Pietrzak, who appear in the film Less of a Stranger about Jan Borysewicz, the frontman of the band Lady Pank.

Radosław Czyż

Radosław Czyż: Is this film primarily for Lady Pank fans?

Patryk Pietrzak: Fans will certainly find it easier, as they’re already familiar with these events. But even someone with only a passing knowledge of Lady Pank’s history will, above all, see the dramatic story of Jan Borysewicz and the people around him, including Andrzej Mogielnicki, whom I play.

Mikołaj Bukrewicz: What I’d like most is for a child – or someone a bit older – to watch this film and think: ‘Blimey, that guitar’s absolutely brilliant! I want one like that too.’ I know that feeling, because films like that used to make me feel that way when I was a kid. So yes, on the one hand there’s all the tragedy of this story, but on the other, let some fairy sprinkle a bit of magic dust on a young person after the screening, so that they wake up the next day wanting to play.

And how old were you when you started playing the guitar?

Mikołaj Bukrewicz: I think eight or nine.

Was watching films about musicians important to you back then?

Mikołaj Bukrewicz: Yes. There were quite a few films starring Jack Black.

Patryk Pietrzak: “Pick of Destiny”, “School of Rock”…

Mikołaj Bukrewicz: Exactly. I felt like a rock ’n’ roll apostle back then.

Mirosław Tomczuk plays the younger version of Jan. The transition from his portrayal of the character to yours works very well in the film. Did you discuss how you wanted to approach the character of Jan?

Mikołaj Bukrewicz: Mirek and I were sitting at the table, drinking coffee and discussing the intricacies of the script... No, just kidding. When we met up, I quickly switched on the amp, plugged in my guitar and cranked it up loud so that Mirek, who’d never played guitar before, could get a feel for what it’s like to sit next to a blaring amp. He certainly got the full effect, but I think he was more drawn to the drums. But the most important thing for me was that we sat there together, immersed in that guitar sound, in that room.

And what did that do for you?

Mikołaj Bukrewicz: Life! A certain energy: ‘Wow, let’s play, let’s form a band, let’s be bandmates.’

Your appearance in this film, especially in the lead role, comes as a surprise to many. How did it come about that you’re here at all?

Mikołaj Bukrewicz: A mate messaged me to say that his friend, the director Kristoffer Rus, was making a film and they’d been struggling to find anyone for ages. He asked if he could send my Instagram to Kris so I could pop along to the casting. My first thought was: ‘Hey, that’s not a good idea.’ I didn’t know how it all worked; I had absolutely no experience. But after thinking it over, I said: ‘OK, I’ll come along.’.

I arrived, saw Kris, and we hit it off straight away. I know it sounds clichéd and like something out of a fairy tale, but that’s how it was.

What was the reason for that chemistry? Was it because he’s a musician too?

Mikołaj Bukrewicz: Yes, but mainly the fact that before we became musicians, actors or filmmakers, we were fans first and foremost. We listened to records that turned our whole world upside down. There was this feeling of: ‘I want that too’. I also liked his humility when it came to a subject that’s important to Polish pop culture and Polish rock music. I think that childlike fascination is still there in all of us. And yes, it helped that Kris plays the guitar too. In fact, the Stratocaster I play in a few scenes is his.

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I see now where that rapport comes from. Patryk. You’re an actor who trained at the Łódź Film School – a brilliant education. Mikołaj’s a natural. Was it any different acting alongside him?

Patryk Pietrzak: First and foremost, I’m also a musician; I chose acting more out of a lack of alternatives. I was nineteen; people were choosing all sorts of odd courses, whilst I had a band and we were playing in the rehearsal room. I thought acting was something similar. Now I’m a dual-career artist, but I still feel more like a musician.

I had no idea what the future held, and everything that happened afterwards – the fact that I’m working in this profession at all – I consider to be quite extraordinary. Perhaps that’s why I don’t feel the tension that actors sometimes experience towards this profession. When I heard about this film, I felt that these were paths I understood.

And whilst Mikołaj and I may not have spent the whole time talking about music, I get the impression that right from the start we built a relationship that our characters later needed. Mogielnicki is older, has been through various experiences, knows the music scene a bit better, and at the same time recognises Borysewicz’s enthusiasm and sincerity.

I found it a real pleasure working with Mikołaj, precisely because he didn’t have those hang-ups that drama school can sometimes instil. Acting technique is one thing, but drama school can also create certain mental shackles. I was very careful to avoid that. I was always doing something else, taking time off to play gigs. To this day, I still enjoy moving from one world to another.

It felt like a very natural meeting to me. I hope that the rapport we’ve built comes across on screen as well.

It’s interesting that so many musicians were involved in this process. Jan Holoubek plays jazz on the drums and once told me that, on set, his musical background helps him communicate with the crew. Did the language of music help you in your work on set?

Mikołaj Bukrewicz: Absolutely. It’s a team effort. Just like in the rehearsal room: a bandmate plays something and you have to respond to it, add something, or perhaps just keep quiet. Maybe it’s time for a solo, or maybe you need to wait a moment and sync up with the drummer to keep the groove going.

It’s exactly the same in the scenes we perform. Patryk says something, and I respond by adapting to the rhythm of the scene.

Patryk Pietrzak: A lot of it simply came down to the situation. Sometimes something unexpected would suddenly happen – a bit of improvisation. Kris liked that; he’d leave those bits in. It’s just like in music: you’ve got a basic melody, a theme that you stick to, but you can also build on it, develop it.

Mikołaj Bukrewicz: I’m not sure if I delivered even a single line of the script in that scene exactly as it was written.

There’s this myth about musicians, especially rock musicians, that they’re people with massive egos. Guitarists in particular: all they care about is their solo. But from my own experience as a bassist, I know that when you’re playing on stage, all that matters is the band and the song; the individual just fades into the background.

Mikołaj Bukrewicz: From my point of view, a musician should always be at the service of the song. The song comes first.

And the ego? For me, it’s a tool for self-reflection. Egocentrism – I’m not sure if it’s selfishness, perhaps a touch of narcissism – allows you to look inside yourself. It’s a bit like that with art and creativity – you have to stand in front of the mirror, look at yourself, accept who you are, and see what you can do with it.

Speaking of the bass – I’ve been playing it quite intensively for a while now, and I reckon it’s the best way to keep your ego in check. Especially for frontmen. I’ve been the frontman in bands my whole life, always at the front. I’ve got used to it, but sometimes it puts me in a tight spot. But when I’ve got the bass, I stand at the back, stick close to the drummer and create that space where someone else can play a solo or sing.

Patryk Pietrzak: This ego is an interesting thing. Let’s not kid ourselves: if the ego didn’t dictate things to us, we wouldn’t be here. Perhaps it’s even a form of narcissism.

I’m convinced that’s precisely why I chose both my professions. Even at my school entrance exam, I said I liked being on stage. I thought acting and music had something in common in that respect. It’s a kind of emanation of the ego.

As for me, in both professions I strive to reach a point where, when I’m performing, I disappear. The best thing about theatre, film and music is when I’m doing something and I feel as though I’m not there. I don’t think about who I am; I simply carry out the task and lose myself in it. Or perhaps that’s precisely when I’m truly myself?

Mikołaj Bukrewicz: You’re saying exactly the same thing that Krzysiek [Oleksyn] said in another interview: that when you devote yourself to art, to an idea, you – your ego and your needs – disappear, and you act in the service of that purpose.

Patryk Pietrzak: There just has to be a bit of self-centredness. For some reason, some force pushed us to step in front of people and show them something.

Mikołaj Bukrewicz: What’s with all this again? You just like being the centre of attention. That’s the truth – we like it and it makes us feel good.

Patryk Pietrzak: Exactly, that’s the egocentrism. On the other hand, I’m 35 and I feel that I’ve left that phase of ego – the one that provokes you to constantly clash with that ego – somewhat behind me. I played in Ted Nemeth’s band, which had a very strong rock ethos. Tens of thousands of kilometres travelled, loads of gigs. That’s where I felt that something was starting to take control of me.

Now I get the feeling that still – let’s not kid ourselves – we wouldn’t be doing this without a bit of self-focus. It’s absolutely brilliant. Blimey, I love it.

But I find it hard to talk about the fact that I like it. I can admit it, but on the other hand, I can’t quite bring myself to just accept it: ‘Great, I like being the centre of attention’. I feel like I’m still learning to deal with it. And yet, at the same time, that’s what I want. It’s a bit odd.

Mikołaj Bukrewicz: You can admit it, do it on stage, and then you’ll still help your mate pack his drums into the van.

Patryk Pietrzak: I don’t touch my drummer’s drum kit – I might end up messing something up for him…
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Ale nosić pomagasz?

Patryk Pietrzak: Nosić zawsze.

To ego prowadzi nas naturalnie do bardzo niejednoznacznej postaci Jana Borysewicza. Miałeś okazję rozmawiać z Janem podczas przygotowywania się do filmu?

Mikołaj Bukrewicz: Spotkaliśmy się parę razy. Zadawałem mu pytania: „Janek, czy to tak było?”. I podobno tak było.

Chyba celowo nie starałem się dokładnie pojąć tej historii z jego perspektywy i słuchać wszystkich jego opowieści. Nie jestem aktorem i nie mam narzędzi, żeby wyegzekwować spójność z prawdą. Uznałem, że muszę zrobić to po swojemu, bo to ja tę historię opowiadam.

Janek mi zaufał. Mam do niego za to wielki szacunek. Zadzwoniłem do niego przed nagrywaniem sceny, w której grałem na gitarze jeden z napisanych przez niego motywów. Zapytałem: „Czy chciałbyś, żebym coś tam zawarł? Powinienem zwrócić na coś uwagę?”. Powiedział tylko: „Nie, graj tak, jak czujesz”. To było dla mnie potwierdzenie, że mi ufa.

A ty Patryk, jak dużo wiedziałeś o swoim bohaterze przed zdjęciami?

Patryk Pietrzak: Znałem Andrzeja Mogielnickiego jako tekściarza. Te popularne rzeczy, ale też mniej oczywiste, na przykład jego współpracę z Kapitanem Nemo. Natomiast nigdy wcześniej nie zgłębiałem samej jego postaci. To człowiek z natury i usposobienia trochę z boku.

Bardzo wiele dało mi wspólne spotkanie z nim i z reżyserem. Spędziliśmy kilka godzin, rozmawiając. Bardzo istotne były dla mnie jego słowa i uwagi. Nie starałem się go imitować, bo nie było też wielu materiałów, które pokazywałyby jego zachowanie.

Natomiast miał bardzo dużo humoru. Przez te kilka godzin dużo się śmialiśmy. To była jego prośba: żeby nie robić tego na smutno. Ja też tak czułem tę postać. Ona była tak napisana, więc wszystko się zsumowało.

Na początku przyszedłem oczywiście w roli aktora. W którymś momencie wyciągnąłem swoją płytę i powiedziałem: „Ja też piszę. Tu są moje teksty”. Rozmowa zmieniła się wtedy zupełnie, bo nie widział już we mnie tylko aktora, ale kogoś, kto zna temat.

Wasza relacja podczas zdjęć była trochę naznaczona postaciami które gracie?

Mikołaj Bukrewicz: Pewnie, że była. Wydaje mi się, że my dopiero na planie weszliśmy w tę dynamikę, w której Patryk-Andrzej był dla mnie-Janka jak starszy brat, który bardziej ogarnia. Ja za to miałem ten drive, potrzebę parcia naprzód.

Dla mnie to nie jest tak, że jest jakiś przełącznik: teraz jesteś postacią, a potem przełączasz go i przestajesz nią być. Nasza relacja na planie była przyjacielska, bardzo ciepła, ale to są więzi budowane w laboratoryjnych warunkach, syntetycznie. Mówiliśmy, że egocentryzm to narzędzie, które umożliwia nam robienie tego, co robimy. Ale empatia jest drugim, równie ważnym, jeżeli nie ważniejszym. Mamy grać bardzo bliskich sobie ludzi, a przecież ja nie mam pojęcia, kim ty jesteś. Więc trzeba było być razem, wypić kawę, coś zjeść, pograć na gitarze…

Patryk Pietrzak: Pamiętam właśnie to, co Mikołaj powiedział o laboratoryjnych warunkach. Po pierwszym spotkaniu miałem poczucie, że jesteśmy trochę pogubieni, bo wiemy, że musimy zbudować coś głębokiego. Z drugiej strony czułem, że to się jakoś naturalnie dzieje, niejako bez wysiłku.

Aktorstwo zaczęło cię interesować przez to doświadczenie? Myślisz o szkole aktorskiej, o nauce?

Mikołaj Bukrewicz: Aktorstwo tak, szkoła nie. Obserwowałem każdego aktora, którego spotykałem, i chciałem robić to, co oni. Ale ja się nie umiem uczyć w szkole – to mi po prostu nigdy nie działało. Skończyłem pierwszy stopień szkoły muzycznej i pół drugiego na skrzypcach, uciekłem, potem poszedłem na wokalistykę, skąd w końcu mnie wyrzucili – bo byłem zajęty, robiłem swoje rzeczy. Mam sympatię dla nauczycieli, ale ja uczę się inaczej: od kolegów. U mnie to najlepiej działa.