ENVIRONMENTAL SOLIDARITY - „The Soil / Ziemia", dir. Zuzanna Solakiewicz

As we read in the film's promotional materials, ‘The Soil’ is a feminist documentary musical that surprises us with a fresh approach to the subject of women living in the rural areas'. In an interview with director Zuzanna Solakiewicz, we ask about the continuity of tradition and its value today, about the so-called ‘folk turn’ in culture and beyond, we discuss the therapeutic role of traditional song, and we inquire about the everyday life of women in the countryside in the past and present and about the social context. We are also interested in the director's view of her personal experiences from the perspective of someone who has lived in the Polish countryside for many years. The idea of solidarity resonates here on many levels - not only as the solidarity with the natural environment, implemented by previous generations, but also as the act of creating a community, a sense of security built through belonging to tradition and shaping everyday activities around the eternal rhythm of nature. We also discuss the character of Ewa Grochowska, the protagonist of the film, a singer who becomes a guide through the world of traditions, not only musical ones.  International Cultural Programme of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2025 Culture.pl Zuzanna Solakiewicz bio