Home Sweet Home

Gośka and Grzesiek meet online and instantly bond over their love of literature. Playful texting leads to an in-person meeting, and soon their relationship starts to develop and deepen. Thanks to Grzesiek, Gośka can move out of her psychologically abusive mother’s house, but she soon discovers her new home is  even more dangerous than the one she left behind. Gośka begins to lose control over her own life, and suddenly it seems that there’s no way to leave the abusive relationship.

Home Sweet Home forces the audience to look towards what many people wittingly avert their gaze from. The film illuminates how society’s structures and attitudes both protect the perpetrator and leave the victim without adequate help, protection, and understanding. Real-life issues are portrayed in a strikingly realistic way, but at the same time, the film offers the viewer a glimmer of hope. With the power of community, it’s possible to start building a better future.

Despite its difficult subject matter, Home Sweet Home is also a remarkably original cinematic experience. Its bold editing and distinctive narrative rhythm immerse the viewer in the protagonist’s perspective with striking intensity. The film became a surprise box-office hit in Poland and went on to win five of the country's prestigious Orły Awards: Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor, and Best Original Score. 

Vilja Hynynen