Flirtation, negotiation and vodka – or how to couple up in 1950s rural Poland

In this brief animation, the Polish-born, UK-based filmmaker Ewa Smyk combines personal history and anthropology to explore how courtship and marriage unfolded in eastern Poland in the 1950s and ’60s. Based in part on entries from Smyk’s grandfather’s journal, the piece outlines a sequence of flirtation, gifts of bread and vodka and, finally, a dowry negotiation to seal the deal. Her use of personal objects – including old notebooks and family photos – for the stop-motion animated treatment and traditional Polish music for the score lend an endearing layer to the viewing experience. Through these deeply personal production choices, Smyk’s work conveys a joy and charm rarely seen in stories depicting life in this time and place.