La Manche

During an illegal hunt, Tomasz (33) accidentally shoots a man who turns out to be a refugee. Fearing the consequences of illegal weapon possession, he hides the man in his shed. Tomasz is put under pressure when the refugee starts making demands.

During an illegal hunt, Tomasz (33) accidentally shoots a man who turns out to be a refugee. Fearing the consequences of illegal weapon possession, he hides the man in his shed. Tomasz is put under pressure when the refugee starts making demands.

Tomasz (33) lives in a small village near the Belarusian border. As an active member of the local volunteer fire brigade, he is well-liked and respected in his community. He also hunts and owns a small farm. At the beginning of the summer, Tomasz’s wife and daughter go on holiday to visit family. Tomasz remains at home alone. He works on a construction site, but this job is not the only source of his income: Together with his friend Krzysztof (32), Tomasz takes advantage of the loneliness of old people living in the deserted border villages. They take care of sick people on their deathbeds, hoping that by building a bond, they will convince the elderly folk to list them as their sole heirs.

One day, after they are unsuccessful at selling one such “inherited” house, Tomasz and Krzysztof go hunting at night. They separate, and Tomasz fires a shot. It turns out that he has accidentally injured a man, a refugee who had illegally crossed the Polish-Belarusian border. Tomasz hides this fact from Krzysztof. Yet, after the hunt is over, he drives back to the forest, takes the wounded man to a shed next to his home and looks after him.

Tomasz is aware that notifying the authorities would mean sending the refugee back to his country. At the same time, Tomasz could face serious legal consequences for illegal gun possession and shooting a man. A bond forms between Tomasz and the immigrant who introduces himself as Seyyed (35). Seyyed shares his life story and talks about his family and risky journey to Poland, inspiring empathy in Tomasz. Tomasz agrees to help Seyyed reach Germany, but an attempt to smuggle him over the border goes wrong and they are nearly detected by border control.

Tomasz’s family is about to return from their holidays. The pressure on Tomasz increases when Seyyed begins to blackmail him, threatening to tell authorities that he shot him as he seems to have given up on helping him to get abroad. Seyyed now also refuses to hide in the shed. Finally, in order to get rid of the problem of an already “non-existent” man, Tomasz kills Seyyed in his sleep and burns the body. A village festival begins, and Tomasz’s family has returned.

Director's note:
Every day, hundreds of people try to flee to Europe from persecution in their home countries. When they reach the Polish-Belarusian border, they are usually denied the asylum. LA MANCHE is a story about collective and individual responsibility for the situation of those trying to find shelter in our “homeland”. It's about how the refugee crisis stares directly into our eyes, becoming an authentic experience of meeting the “other”. Guilt is a state of insecurity and social responsibility for one’s actions. The questions I ask in the film is about our conscience. In the face of the looming climate change-related refugee crisis, our attitude towards those seeking help and shelter will be put to the test again. How should we act, as a society and as individuals?
I would like to work only with non-professional actors – residents of the shooting locations. I will combine fictional stories with real stories and the lives of the people who appear in the film.

Producer's note:
There is something deeply provoking in Damian Kocur’s films, which affects us raising ethical questions and leaving us uneased. The director's films are brimming with life, but life that is not pretended or acted out, but as if observed by accident. He uses striking realism, creating an intimate world that gives viewers a sense of immersion and participation. La Manche will tackle an extremely important yet sensitive topic: the attitude of local residents towards "the other" who shows up in their neighbourhood, also depicting the complex system of relationships that exist in closed communities like small towns. The film will convey a specific atmosphere of post-soviet societies – toxicity and trust issues developed during the hard period of communism and ’90s societal changes that happened a bit too quickly. Kocur is a revelation and a great talent in Polish cinema. He has been widely recognized with awards (Special Jury Prize Venice FF 22) for his uncompromising, emotionally piercing cinema.