Brave Bunch - Uprising Through the Eyes of Children

(“Fajna Ferajna – Powstanie oczyma dzieci”)

This is a documentary film for children and young people, directed by Tomasz Stankiewicz, based on the book by Monika Kowaleczko-Szumowska. The book is compulsory reading in
many primary schools in Poland. The film has been awarded at numerous festivals around the world.

A Brave Bunch – Uprising Through the Eyes of Children.
When the Warsaw Uprising started in 1944, thousands of children lived in the city. Brave Bunch is about those who survived. A hybrid documentary by Tomas Stankiewicz tells a story of heroic and tragic 63 – day struggle to liberate Warsaw from Nazi Germany occupation during World War II from a child’s perspective. In the film a group of kids finds an authentic dairy from the Warsaw Uprising. Looking for its owner they stumble into the Warsaw Uprising Muzeum. Thanks to the diary’s magic power they meet their peers from 1944 who survived complete destruction of Warsaw and slaughter of its inhabitants. The film takes viewers to the old backyards of Warsaw and the dangerous city sewers.

The Nil Desperandum Foundation runs a profile on Facebook, where it shares posts and photos related to the Warsaw Uprising. It also publishes photos from events related to festival
screenings, anniversary celebrations and school meetings.

The film Brave Bunch – Uprising Through the Eyes of Children (“Fajna Ferajna – Powstanie
oczyma dzieci”) has been screened at international festivals, including Thessaloniki, Tirana and
Tallgrass. It has won numerous awards:

  • Assam – Nagaon International Short and Documentary Film Festival “Golden Rihno”: Best Documentary Film Award (2018)
  • Seul Guro International Kids Film Festival: Best documentary film award (2017)
  • Jaipur International Film Festival: Best Children’s Film Award (2017)
  • Hajdarabad – Indian World Film Festival: Best Documentary Film Award (2017)
  • Londyn – Imperial War Museum Short Film Festival: Distinction (2016)
  • Warsaw – International Historical and Military Film Festival: “Bronze Sabre” in the documentary film category  (2015)
  • Pirgos – Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young People: 
  • Children’s Jury Award for best documentary film  (2015)