Getting even and becoming equal: Warsaw through the European lens (1980s–2000s)

A study reveals how the portrayal of Warsaw in European co-produced films shifted from the 1980s to the 2000s, reflecting changes in its perceived status as a 'European' city. Initially depicted as an undesirable Eastern Bloc setting, Warsaw evolved into a desirable location for settling Cold War narratives and symbolizing post-communist identity. The mid- to late 1990s films emphasized Warsaw's strategic position between Western Europe and the Soviet Union, while post-accession works highlighted multilateral cooperation in 'New Europe'. The Scandinavian-Polish co-production The Woman That Dreamed About a Man (2010) exemplifies this shift through its reflexive and intertextual approach to Warsaw as a shooting location. This analysis draws from 25 years of European cinema, offering insights into how cultural narratives shape perceptions of urban spaces in a post-communist context.

Van Heuckelom, K. (2017). Getting even and becoming equal: Warsaw through the European lens (1980s–2000s). Studies in Eastern European Cinema, 9(1), 47–62. https://doi.org/10.1080/2040350x.2017.1404702