Romek, My Son

In the documentary debut of the 22-year-old Polish director Marcin Solarz, 86-year-old Janina Ogonek is the protagonist. Or is it her son Romek? This middle-aged Pole has taken on the care for his infirm, lame mother. Mother Janina has only one leg left and is practically blind. She sits in a wheelchair and gives orders to her son all day. ‘Romek! My leg hurts’, it booms through the small flat. ‘Romek! I want to sit up. Romek! I want to lie down.’ She also calls her son when she is thirsty, when she has an itch, when she cries or needs attention. Romek reacts to every whimper and without any sign of annoyance or impatience keeps comforting his mother, rubbing her leg with ointment and giving her good-natured advice: ‘Just pee in your Pampers.’ Meanwhile, Romek does the housekeeping and helps his son with his homework. In turn, the grandson teaches his grandmother the English words he has learned in school. Without comment or interviews, Solarz soberly visualises this triple household. Patience of a saint still exists.