20/05/2020
THIS FRIDAY at 19.30 London Time on YouTube! There's nothing on TV so join us for our WORLD PREMIERE.
“Rowing Through Poland - the Country That Didn’t Exist” –
the first Episode: Kraków Undiscovered.
A World Premiere on 22 may at 19.30 London Time as a part of Polish Heritage Days 2020
Follow the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEhIQ-6nCpA
Link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rURzpW1ep7s
This first series of our , explore Poland, 101 years after regaining independence, 30 years after the end of communism, and 15 years in the EU. The purpose is to present modern vibrant Poland with a rich cultural heritage seen through the eyes of a British man and a Polish born woman.
In 2019 Polish / British rowers, Ewa Marcinkowska and Stephen Walker, set out on a bold adventure to explore Poland by rowing down the 1000 km long river Wisła, the last wild river in Europe, so as to reach Gdansk in time for 30th anniversary of the first free elections since the Soviet era. Will they make it in time?
In the first episode Ewa and Steve visit the beautiful Royal City of Kraków. It is a truly magnificent city with a strong sense of history and breathtaking sites. It is the first of 3 capitals of Poland we will visit on our journey. We discover Krakow’s less known secrets and stories, that some probably never heard of.
About the film makers:
Ewa Marcinkowska is a proud Pole, Polish interpreter, bilingual poet, researcher and a rower. A first time filmmaker too. Ewa’s extensive knowledge of her homeland and the hidden gems within the cities, combined with personal stories has allowed us to present a side of Poland undiscovered and unseen before.
Stephen Walker is a well known personality in the world of rowing, being a successful coach and an expert on international scale. He won at several World Masters Regattas, he is the founder of The Sculling Academy and the author of ”How to Win. Sports Competitor’s Guide to Success. " Stephen has produced over 170 films including travelogues, documentary coverage of rowing and sailing related events and coaching videos. His YouTube channel has over 2 million views.
Why we went Rowing through Poland?
In 2018 Poland celebrated 100 years of Independence.
Poland had completely disappeared from the map of Europe between 1795 and 1918 and regained its independence after the 1st World War but it is has changed most during the last 30 years following the end of communism. And in 2019 there was exactly 30 years since the first free (ok, semi-free) elections in Poland, and the next were -a fall of the Iron Curtain and the Berlin Wall!
We wanted to discover what the Poles have achieved. Poland's boundaries have varied widely so what exactly defined Poland?
The geographical core of Poland turns out to be the River Wisła [Vistula], the Queen of Polish Rivers, that flows from the Tatra Mountains in the South to the Baltic Sea in the North. So we have made a documentary by rowing a boat down this river. Rowing on the river is a natural vehicle for us and a thread that we have used to tie our documentary series together.
But who are the Poles? Where did they come from?
To answer that question Steve had to go there and see for himself. Together with Ewa, Polish born, they discover beautiful places, incredible stories and interview fantastic Polish people. After all this was forbidden territory for Steve, and for Westerners, up until 1990. We wanted to investigate ancient and modern Poland, its people, its culture & its history, and to discover old and new connections between Poland and Great Britain.
What we discovered hastransformed our view of Poland and will change your too!
