Self (archive footage)
A documentary celebrating the work of Walerian Borowczyk, a director of unparalleled sensitivity, revered in the 1970s, who was later labeled as a maker of erotic movies.
Himself
During a hospital stay in 2001, the Polish painter, sculptor and filmmaker Walerian Borowczyk compiled a handwritten list of the objects and animals that were featured in his films. While he had used both encyclopedias and dictionaries to order chaos in his own films, this list saw Borowczyk putting his own life in order.
In Memory Of
Three youths are abandoned on a road by their crazy mother. Suddenly appears a strange woman carrying a placard saying she's a guide. The guide brings the youths with her on an journey in the woods. A journey they will never forget.
Editor
Ximen Qing, a rich mandarin, deserts his wives to play with the courtesans. One of his young spouses, tired of languishing, consoles herself with a lackey.
Director of Photography
Ximen Qing, a rich mandarin, deserts his wives to play with the courtesans. One of his young spouses, tired of languishing, consoles herself with a lackey.
Director
Ximen Qing, a rich mandarin, deserts his wives to play with the courtesans. One of his young spouses, tired of languishing, consoles herself with a lackey.
Editor
Kamar, who just arrived at Bassra, falls in love with the young wife of the old Obeid. But, until now, nobody has survived to be able to praise himself for obtaining favors from this beautiful, capricious woman.
Director of Photography
Kamar, who just arrived at Bassra, falls in love with the young wife of the old Obeid. But, until now, nobody has survived to be able to praise himself for obtaining favors from this beautiful, capricious woman.
Director
Kamar, who just arrived at Bassra, falls in love with the young wife of the old Obeid. But, until now, nobody has survived to be able to praise himself for obtaining favors from this beautiful, capricious woman.
Editor
During the French Revolution, a young aristocrat finds an almanac in a book store which contains the prettiest and strangest prostitutes living in Paris.
Director of Photography
During the French Revolution, a young aristocrat finds an almanac in a book store which contains the prettiest and strangest prostitutes living in Paris.
Writer
During the French Revolution, a young aristocrat finds an almanac in a book store which contains the prettiest and strangest prostitutes living in Paris.
Director
During the French Revolution, a young aristocrat finds an almanac in a book store which contains the prettiest and strangest prostitutes living in Paris.
Editor
From Boccaccio's "La précaution inutile". Jean, a rich old merchant, is blessed with a young and beautiful wife. Although Bianca is absolutely faithful, he, tormented by jealousy, accuses her of the worst depravities.
Writer
From Boccaccio's "La précaution inutile". Jean, a rich old merchant, is blessed with a young and beautiful wife. Although Bianca is absolutely faithful, he, tormented by jealousy, accuses her of the worst depravities.
Director
From Boccaccio's "La précaution inutile". Jean, a rich old merchant, is blessed with a young and beautiful wife. Although Bianca is absolutely faithful, he, tormented by jealousy, accuses her of the worst depravities.
Director of Photography
From Boccaccio's "La précaution inutile". Jean, a rich old merchant, is blessed with a young and beautiful wife. Although Bianca is absolutely faithful, he, tormented by jealousy, accuses her of the worst depravities.
Writer
Hugo, a vain clothing buyer, meets Myriam on a train and pursues a relationship with her. He is delighted to learn she is a prostitute and has no idea she has more in mind than Hugo bargained for.
Director
Hugo, a vain clothing buyer, meets Myriam on a train and pursues a relationship with her. He is delighted to learn she is a prostitute and has no idea she has more in mind than Hugo bargained for.
Screenplay
Emmanuelle, the sexiest woman in the world, endures a streak of bad luck that begins when she's stripped by a mob of adoring fans at an international film festival. Emmanuelle's lousy luck continues when she's abducted from her yacht off the South of France and forced to submit to the erotic desires of an Arab sheik.
Director
Emmanuelle, the sexiest woman in the world, endures a streak of bad luck that begins when she's stripped by a mob of adoring fans at an international film festival. Emmanuelle's lousy luck continues when she's abducted from her yacht off the South of France and forced to submit to the erotic desires of an Arab sheik.
Animation
The chance encounter between a rebel devil and a nubile angel.
Writer
The chance encounter between a rebel devil and a nubile angel.
Director
The chance encounter between a rebel devil and a nubile angel.
Writer
Young student Claudine has a dream in which the Roman student Cornelius, fascinated by the beautiful wife of the commander, attends lectures on the art of love of great Ovid. Ancient tragedy repeats itself in a few centuries ...
Director
Young student Claudine has a dream in which the Roman student Cornelius, fascinated by the beautiful wife of the commander, attends lectures on the art of love of great Ovid. Ancient tragedy repeats itself in a few centuries ...
Production Design
In 19th century London, a sex maniac sneaks into the engagement party of Dr. Henry Jekyll and Miss Fanny Osbourne, turning the event into a nightmarish whirlpool of murder and debauchery
Screenplay
In 19th century London, a sex maniac sneaks into the engagement party of Dr. Henry Jekyll and Miss Fanny Osbourne, turning the event into a nightmarish whirlpool of murder and debauchery
Director
In 19th century London, a sex maniac sneaks into the engagement party of Dr. Henry Jekyll and Miss Fanny Osbourne, turning the event into a nightmarish whirlpool of murder and debauchery
Production Design
Lulu models for a young painter who tries to seduce her. When her husband enters the room he dies from a heart attack. Lulu marries the painter, who commits suicide when he finds out that she has been having a long standing affair with Dr Schon and whose son gives her a job. Lulu kills Dr Schon and goes to London to live with his son. Eventually, she becomes a prostitute and dies a victim of Jack the Ripper.
Writer
Lulu models for a young painter who tries to seduce her. When her husband enters the room he dies from a heart attack. Lulu marries the painter, who commits suicide when he finds out that she has been having a long standing affair with Dr Schon and whose son gives her a job. Lulu kills Dr Schon and goes to London to live with his son. Eventually, she becomes a prostitute and dies a victim of Jack the Ripper.
Director
Lulu models for a young painter who tries to seduce her. When her husband enters the room he dies from a heart attack. Lulu marries the painter, who commits suicide when he finds out that she has been having a long standing affair with Dr Schon and whose son gives her a job. Lulu kills Dr Schon and goes to London to live with his son. Eventually, she becomes a prostitute and dies a victim of Jack the Ripper.
Writer
A man seeks for satisfaction from a prostitute working in a revue. He pays for the whole night and discovers a saddening truth about her.
Director
A man seeks for satisfaction from a prostitute working in a revue. He pays for the whole night and discovers a saddening truth about her.
Writer
Three stories. A solitary sailor falls from his boat and washes ashore on a tropical island. While seeking rescue, he's found by a nearly naked woman who is playful and compliant. He decides to erase his signs of distress and remain on the island. What awaits? In the second, an adolescent searches for the words of a nursery rime he remembers bits of. His journey takes him into dreams, sexual awakening, and Oedipal fantasy. Third, a man of wealth in late-nineteenth century Paris hires a prostitute for the night. She's also cabaret performer and takes him to her room. He fears he's about to be robbed. What's her secret?
Director
Three stories. A solitary sailor falls from his boat and washes ashore on a tropical island. While seeking rescue, he's found by a nearly naked woman who is playful and compliant. He decides to erase his signs of distress and remain on the island. What awaits? In the second, an adolescent searches for the words of a nursery rime he remembers bits of. His journey takes him into dreams, sexual awakening, and Oedipal fantasy. Third, a man of wealth in late-nineteenth century Paris hires a prostitute for the night. She's also cabaret performer and takes him to her room. He fears he's about to be robbed. What's her secret?
Writer
The first episode – featuring frequent Borowczyk muse Marina Pierro – is the longest and, in a way, most substantial: it’s set in Renaissance Rome, with the lusty (and perpetually nude) leading lady sexually involved with famous painters and church benefactors. The second episode is the most notorious and, consequently, gave the film its controversial poster – featuring a rabbit slowly disappearing under the skirt of a teenage girl (played by Gaelle Legrand). The third and final episode, which has a modern-day setting, is the shortest – but also, possibly, the most outrageous: Pascale Christophe is a young married woman who’s abducted on a busy Parisian street by a small-time hood hidden inside a cardboard box!
Director
The first episode – featuring frequent Borowczyk muse Marina Pierro – is the longest and, in a way, most substantial: it’s set in Renaissance Rome, with the lusty (and perpetually nude) leading lady sexually involved with famous painters and church benefactors. The second episode is the most notorious and, consequently, gave the film its controversial poster – featuring a rabbit slowly disappearing under the skirt of a teenage girl (played by Gaelle Legrand). The third and final episode, which has a modern-day setting, is the shortest – but also, possibly, the most outrageous: Pascale Christophe is a young married woman who’s abducted on a busy Parisian street by a small-time hood hidden inside a cardboard box!
Director
This short film by Walerian Borowczyk was made in 1979 but is so little known that when it was rediscovered in 2014 it had not been included in any of his filmographies. Of all Borowczyk's films, this is the one that most clearly shows his love of early cinema and pre-cinema, in this case Charles-Émile Reynaud's praxinoscope.
Editor
A zealous, handsome priest, who is the confessor for a convent full of women, encourages the equally zealous abbess of the institution to enforce strict rules on these unfortunate women. At the same time, a particularly disturbed nun manages to poison herself and many of the other novitiates in yet another scandal which is covered up by church authorities.
Writer
A zealous, handsome priest, who is the confessor for a convent full of women, encourages the equally zealous abbess of the institution to enforce strict rules on these unfortunate women. At the same time, a particularly disturbed nun manages to poison herself and many of the other novitiates in yet another scandal which is covered up by church authorities.
Director
A zealous, handsome priest, who is the confessor for a convent full of women, encourages the equally zealous abbess of the institution to enforce strict rules on these unfortunate women. At the same time, a particularly disturbed nun manages to poison herself and many of the other novitiates in yet another scandal which is covered up by church authorities.
Director
A portrait of Serbia's erotic surrealist painter Popovic Ljuba.
Director
A businessman leaves his country home, and wife and young son for a business trip to Paris. While there he develops a sexual and spiritual bond with a call girl.
Editor
The head of a failing French family thinks that fate has smiled down on him when the daughter of a wealthy man agrees to be married to his son. The daughter and her aunt then travel out to the French countryside to meet with the family, unaware that a mysterious 'beast' is stalking the vicinity.
Writer
The head of a failing French family thinks that fate has smiled down on him when the daughter of a wealthy man agrees to be married to his son. The daughter and her aunt then travel out to the French countryside to meet with the family, unaware that a mysterious 'beast' is stalking the vicinity.
Director
The head of a failing French family thinks that fate has smiled down on him when the daughter of a wealthy man agrees to be married to his son. The daughter and her aunt then travel out to the French countryside to meet with the family, unaware that a mysterious 'beast' is stalking the vicinity.
Original Music Composer
Paris is a monstrously inhuman cityscape, in which cars, buses, crowds, and unceasing noise combine to smother any decent and delicate human activity. People and flowers attempt to survive in a city that seems ready to explode from an over-heated mixture of traffic and noise.
Sound
Paris is a monstrously inhuman cityscape, in which cars, buses, crowds, and unceasing noise combine to smother any decent and delicate human activity. People and flowers attempt to survive in a city that seems ready to explode from an over-heated mixture of traffic and noise.
Editor
Paris is a monstrously inhuman cityscape, in which cars, buses, crowds, and unceasing noise combine to smother any decent and delicate human activity. People and flowers attempt to survive in a city that seems ready to explode from an over-heated mixture of traffic and noise.
Writer
Paris is a monstrously inhuman cityscape, in which cars, buses, crowds, and unceasing noise combine to smother any decent and delicate human activity. People and flowers attempt to survive in a city that seems ready to explode from an over-heated mixture of traffic and noise.
Director
Paris is a monstrously inhuman cityscape, in which cars, buses, crowds, and unceasing noise combine to smother any decent and delicate human activity. People and flowers attempt to survive in a city that seems ready to explode from an over-heated mixture of traffic and noise.
Writer
A beautiful Polish girl whose lover has gone to Rome to seek a divorce from his previous wife travels around Europe in search of him and suffers a variety of tragic adventures as the men around her try to fit her into their own selfish schemes.
Director
A beautiful Polish girl whose lover has gone to Rome to seek a divorce from his previous wife travels around Europe in search of him and suffers a variety of tragic adventures as the men around her try to fit her into their own selfish schemes.
Director
Borowczyk’s portrait of the painter Bona Tibertelli de Pisis and her erotic fusions of men, women and molluscs.
Production Design
Four erotic tales from in various historical eras. The first, 'The Tide', is set in the present day, and concerns a student and his young female cousin stranded on the beach by the tide, secluded from prying eyes. 'Therese Philosophe' is set in the nineteenth century, and concerns a girl being locked in her bedroom, where she contemplates the erotic potential of the objects contained within it. 'Erzsebet Bathory' is a portrait of the sixteenth-century countess who allegedly bathed in the blood of virgins, while 'Lucrezia Borgia' concerns an incestuous fifteenth-century orgy involving Lucrezia, her brother, and her father the Pope.
Editor
Four erotic tales from in various historical eras. The first, 'The Tide', is set in the present day, and concerns a student and his young female cousin stranded on the beach by the tide, secluded from prying eyes. 'Therese Philosophe' is set in the nineteenth century, and concerns a girl being locked in her bedroom, where she contemplates the erotic potential of the objects contained within it. 'Erzsebet Bathory' is a portrait of the sixteenth-century countess who allegedly bathed in the blood of virgins, while 'Lucrezia Borgia' concerns an incestuous fifteenth-century orgy involving Lucrezia, her brother, and her father the Pope.
Screenplay
Four erotic tales from in various historical eras. The first, 'The Tide', is set in the present day, and concerns a student and his young female cousin stranded on the beach by the tide, secluded from prying eyes. 'Therese Philosophe' is set in the nineteenth century, and concerns a girl being locked in her bedroom, where she contemplates the erotic potential of the objects contained within it. 'Erzsebet Bathory' is a portrait of the sixteenth-century countess who allegedly bathed in the blood of virgins, while 'Lucrezia Borgia' concerns an incestuous fifteenth-century orgy involving Lucrezia, her brother, and her father the Pope.
Director
Four erotic tales from in various historical eras. The first, 'The Tide', is set in the present day, and concerns a student and his young female cousin stranded on the beach by the tide, secluded from prying eyes. 'Therese Philosophe' is set in the nineteenth century, and concerns a girl being locked in her bedroom, where she contemplates the erotic potential of the objects contained within it. 'Erzsebet Bathory' is a portrait of the sixteenth-century countess who allegedly bathed in the blood of virgins, while 'Lucrezia Borgia' concerns an incestuous fifteenth-century orgy involving Lucrezia, her brother, and her father the Pope.
Writer
A witty and eye-opening tour through Borowczyk's own collection of vintage erotica. Originally intended as part of his 'Contes immoraux', it was released first as a separate short, and is therefore marks the turning-point between Borowczyk's career as a highly-regarded animator and surrealist filmmaker, and his subsequent career in the sexploitation field.
Director
A witty and eye-opening tour through Borowczyk's own collection of vintage erotica. Originally intended as part of his 'Contes immoraux', it was released first as a separate short, and is therefore marks the turning-point between Borowczyk's career as a highly-regarded animator and surrealist filmmaker, and his subsequent career in the sexploitation field.
Editor
Blanche is the young, pure, beautiful wife of the Master of the castle, in a secluded land. Every man is in love with her, including the King and his servant Bartolomeo, visiting the Master.
Set Decoration
Blanche is the young, pure, beautiful wife of the Master of the castle, in a secluded land. Every man is in love with her, including the King and his servant Bartolomeo, visiting the Master.
Dialogue
Blanche is the young, pure, beautiful wife of the Master of the castle, in a secluded land. Every man is in love with her, including the King and his servant Bartolomeo, visiting the Master.
Adaptation
Blanche is the young, pure, beautiful wife of the Master of the castle, in a secluded land. Every man is in love with her, including the King and his servant Bartolomeo, visiting the Master.
Scenario Writer
Blanche is the young, pure, beautiful wife of the Master of the castle, in a secluded land. Every man is in love with her, including the King and his servant Bartolomeo, visiting the Master.
Director
Blanche is the young, pure, beautiful wife of the Master of the castle, in a secluded land. Every man is in love with her, including the King and his servant Bartolomeo, visiting the Master.
Director
Editor
A documentary short by Peter Graham, produced and edited by Walerian Borowczyk.
Director of Photography
A documentary short by Peter Graham, produced and edited by Walerian Borowczyk.
Screenplay
In an isolated community on a mythical island, a pompous dictator holds public executions and lets criminals fight in the streets.
Dialogue
In an isolated community on a mythical island, a pompous dictator holds public executions and lets criminals fight in the streets.
Director
In an isolated community on a mythical island, a pompous dictator holds public executions and lets criminals fight in the streets.
Writer
An old phonograph assembles itself, plays songs on wax drums before self destructing. In many ways The Phonograph is a companion piece to Renaissance, there is nevertheless something quietly affecting about Borowczyk’s final ‘object’ animation.
Director
An old phonograph assembles itself, plays songs on wax drums before self destructing. In many ways The Phonograph is a companion piece to Renaissance, there is nevertheless something quietly affecting about Borowczyk’s final ‘object’ animation.
Director
A short film by Walerian Borowczyk in two parts. The first 'panel' follows the morning routine of Leon Boyer who, despite being almost 100 years old, still farms the land, drives a vintage car, and plays with his two dogs. The second panel shows shots of beautiful flowers and a cat, to a recording of Tino Rossi singing 'La romance de Nadir / Je crois encore entendre' from Bizet's opera 'Les pêcheurs de perles'.
Director of Photography
A short film by Walerian Borowczyk in two parts. The first 'panel' follows the morning routine of Leon Boyer who, despite being almost 100 years old, still farms the land, drives a vintage car, and plays with his two dogs. The second panel shows shots of beautiful flowers and a cat, to a recording of Tino Rossi singing 'La romance de Nadir / Je crois encore entendre' from Bizet's opera 'Les pêcheurs de perles'.
Director
"Theatre of Mr. and Mrs. Kabal" is Walerian Borowczyk’s first feature-length film and his last animated film. It consists of a sequence of loosely connected scenes, much like a vaudeville program, in which Mr. and Mrs. Kabal perform absurd, surreal, and sometimes cruel acts.
Director
Two bored dwarves fight over a cushion.
Director
Based on a short story by Guy de Maupassant, Borowczyk relates the plight of a servant girl who killed and buried her child in the garden.
Director
An animated advert made by Walerian Borowczyk for a French pasta company.
Animation
A light-hearted animated romp through the alphabet, with each letter identified by both a word and a visual interpretation of that word, by the crudely-drawn Joachim.
Director
A light-hearted animated romp through the alphabet, with each letter identified by both a word and a visual interpretation of that word, by the crudely-drawn Joachim.
Screenplay
Animated short. Abstract forms in a setting evocative of a concentration camp created by the universe. Based on a series of paintings by the Polish artists and filmmaker Walerian Borowczyk, Les Jeux des Anges takes the viewer into a nightmarish and sinister labyrinth world. With images reminiscent of Bosch and Ernst and an abstract soundtrack the film evoke unspeakable horrors lurking at the heart Borowczyk's masterpiece. Borowczyk described the film himself as "A report on the city of angels."
Director
Animated short. Abstract forms in a setting evocative of a concentration camp created by the universe. Based on a series of paintings by the Polish artists and filmmaker Walerian Borowczyk, Les Jeux des Anges takes the viewer into a nightmarish and sinister labyrinth world. With images reminiscent of Bosch and Ernst and an abstract soundtrack the film evoke unspeakable horrors lurking at the heart Borowczyk's masterpiece. Borowczyk described the film himself as "A report on the city of angels."
Director
An advert made by Walerian Borowczyk for a French pasta company. After everybody has left the museum, the paintings can finally come alive and help themselves to some pasta for dinner.
Animation
To the sound of trumpets, a collection of pulverised antique bric-a-brac begins to reassemble itself, revealing a stuffed owl, a cornet, a hamper, books, a doll, a plate - and a bomb...
Director
To the sound of trumpets, a collection of pulverised antique bric-a-brac begins to reassemble itself, revealing a stuffed owl, a cornet, a hamper, books, a doll, a plate - and a bomb...
Writer
An animated film made by Walerian Borowczyk for W.D. & H.O. Wills. A very pompous cigar smoker reminisces about the good old days when the lower classes knew their place and stayed away from cigars meant only for the privileged. However, after he and his society for cigar smokers watch an advert by British tobacco importers W.D. & H.O. Wills explaining their successive methods of cigar-making, his elitist ideals are shaken.
Director
An animated film made by Walerian Borowczyk for W.D. & H.O. Wills. A very pompous cigar smoker reminisces about the good old days when the lower classes knew their place and stayed away from cigars meant only for the privileged. However, after he and his society for cigar smokers watch an advert by British tobacco importers W.D. & H.O. Wills explaining their successive methods of cigar-making, his elitist ideals are shaken.
Director
A short film by Walerian Borowczyk. This first volume looks at the first three letters in Grandma's encyclopaedia: A for 'Automobile', B for 'Ballon', and C for 'Chemin de fer'.
Animation
A short film by Walerian Borowczyk. Ostensibly a film of a concert given by the round, unassuming Monsieur Kabal and his spiky, terrifying wife, it's actually a cover for their frequent attempts at causing each other extreme physical harm.
Writer
A short film by Walerian Borowczyk. Ostensibly a film of a concert given by the round, unassuming Monsieur Kabal and his spiky, terrifying wife, it's actually a cover for their frequent attempts at causing each other extreme physical harm.
Director
A short film by Walerian Borowczyk. Ostensibly a film of a concert given by the round, unassuming Monsieur Kabal and his spiky, terrifying wife, it's actually a cover for their frequent attempts at causing each other extreme physical harm.
Director
A short film by Walerian Borowczyk
Animation
An inventor builds a homemade spacecraft, and uses it to have various adventures, including peeping at women, visiting ‘human’ planets, and becoming involved in intergalactic warfare.
Writer
An inventor builds a homemade spacecraft, and uses it to have various adventures, including peeping at women, visiting ‘human’ planets, and becoming involved in intergalactic warfare.
Director
An inventor builds a homemade spacecraft, and uses it to have various adventures, including peeping at women, visiting ‘human’ planets, and becoming involved in intergalactic warfare.
Scenario Writer
An experimental short film by Walerian Borowczyk and Jan Lenica.
Director
An experimental short film by Walerian Borowczyk and Jan Lenica.
Screenplay
Animated photographs (made with Jan Lenica) with elements of animated cartoon. A display of military drill.
Director
Animated photographs (made with Jan Lenica) with elements of animated cartoon. A display of military drill.
Director
About the work of the naive painter J. Plaskocinski. A playful tale about the requited love of a shy young man.
Director
Borowczyk and Lenica are at their most expressive in this crude paper miniature.
Writer
A short news reel documentary about poster art.
Director
A short film advertising the newspaper Sztandar Młodych (The Banner of Youth), noteworthy for its abstract elements painted directly onto film stock. An attempt at showing the complexity of the world in a capsule, the film reflects the new policy of the openness to the West during the Thaw of the late 1950s in Poland.
Director
An oddball pair try to find their identity and place in an abstract world.
