The motif of escape in recent Polish films

This article discusses the motif of physical and spiritual escape in some recent Polish films, arguing that they pertain to the widespread disappointment with the social reality and express the difficulty of overcoming the problems embedded in living in a post-communist society. It focuses on three films by directors who made their debut in the first decade of the new millennium: Edi (2002), directed by Piotr Trzaskalski, Zmruż oczy/Squint Your Eyes (2003), directed by Andrzej Jakimowski, and Moje pieczone kurczaki/My Roasted Chickens (2002), directed by Iwona Siekierzyńska. They were chosen because they exemplify a certain tendency in new Polish cinema and were critically and commercially successful, gaining awards in national and international festivals and enjoying good figures at the box office, particularly amongst younger audiences.