Rafał Skalski about the love of the handicapped
The documentary “Lovers”(“Kochankowie”) is another production made for HBO Central Europe this year. The film is about love, friendship and sexuality of the handicapped.
The protagonists of the film by Rafał Skalski are the handicapped who have no inhibitions about bringing the audience into the world of their romantic relationships. They do not consider themselves different or worse. Like everyone else they want happiness and love. They do not expect care from their partners, but rather understanding, warmth and honesty. Their lives do not differ much from those of able-bodied people. They have similar dreams, worries and joys.“The protagonists of Lovers are ordinary people who found themselves in extraordinary circumstances. I think that it is because of their 'handicapped situation' that the glance at love and the phases of it development in the film are becoming more and more universal,” says Rafał Skalski, the documentary's director.
Each couple in the film is different. All protagonists are united by the dream of happiness in the arms of a beloved person. Krzyś, confined to a wheelchair, plans a future with able-bodied Ola, and sightless Grzegorz and handicapped Ania cannot imagine living without each other. “He is my legs and I am his eyes,” says Ania. Five-year-old Victoria is the fruit of love between physically handicapped Ela and her healthy husband Rafał.
The film was made for HBO Central Europe by Euromedia TV. The documentary's director is also the author of “52 percent”, which received awards in 2007, among others the Golden Hobby-Horse in the Polish contest at Krakow Film Festival.
The première of “Lovers” took place on Sunday, 27th December in HBO.
More about HBO productions here: www.bezcenzury.hbo.pl