City lives : Mateusz Skalski

The fi lmmaker loves Warsaw’s hidden gems, from cool bars, to stunning art and architecture

“I was born and bred in Warsaw and, after spending four years away studying fi lm, I returned to the city to get involved in the booming movie industry. My father was also involved in the industry, so I grew up on a movie set, and both fi lm and Warsaw are in my blood.

“As a cinematographer, I’ve seen the city through many lenses, and fi lmed for documentaries, feature fi lms and TV shows. Warsaw is a city like no other. It’s complicated and has many infl uences, many different faces. The imposing Palace of Culture — a ‘gift’ from Stalin and one of my favourite buildings — now has Poland’s newest and swankiest shopping mall next to it, Zlote Tarasy. Icons of communism and capitalism side by side, that’s Warsaw. For a fi lmmaker it’s always a challenge to try and capture a city’s spirit, and to me it’s this enigmatic charm that makes Warsaw special.

“The city is often accused of being ugly, but I can assure you it is not. You only need to scratch beneath the surface to fi nd beauty. For me, Saska Kempa is one of the city’s most attractive areas — the buildings and the people give it the buzz of an old, pre-war suburb. It’s the perfect summer location to sit outside a café and see a slice of Warsawian life.

“I also think it’s hard to match Warsaw’s creative energy. Warsawians have a long history of talent in the arts and the city has always been home to artists, architects and writers. Warsaw’s creative streak can be seen today, in the city’s stream of cultural events. I can go and see a free Chopin concert in Lazienki Park, or an experimental theatre company. Creatively, the city never sleeps.

“Somewhere I feel this creativity at work is on the other side of the river, in the Praga district. Rundown tenements and abandoned factories are being converted into lofts and studios, and the whole area is breathing with life — it has a real buzz. One of my favourite galleries in the area is Luksfera, which shows exciting contemporary art. The gallery is inside a converted vodka factory, which is also home to some lively bars.

“In the evening I enjoy going out with friends, and Warsaw nightlife has been transformed in the last fi ve years — the city is packed with places to choose from. I enjoy Triad, which is the name for a collection of down-to-earth bars, packed with artists of various trades and students near the university library.”

Interview: Rory Boland

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 16th, 2007 at 11:51 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.