Ivar and Julita meet up with Xawery Zulawski, a young, respected film director whose father was the great Polish director Andrzej Zulawski. While at his campsite, they talk over his controversial new film, hailed as the Polish Trainspotting, a drug fueled narrative with plenty of stylistic twists that tries to capture the essence of Polish mentality. Then to Lodz and its famous film school, where Julita interviews the amazing Malgorzata Szumowska—up and coming director and producer, and one of the most famous female filmmakers of her generation.

See the rest at VBS.TV: From Poland with Love - Episode 6 - From Poland With Love | VBS.TV 

Ivar and Julita head to Gdansk to meet a hero of the Polish solidarity movement who helped put and end to years of communist rule in 1989. Gdansk was the first stop for Hitler on his way to fucking up the whole of Europe, but the city also saw the start of the fall of communism in its Lenin Shipyard. Edward Szwajkiewicz, an electrician in the shipyard who used his position to disseminate anti-communist flyers, talks them through the final days of communism and how he and his co-workers fought the powers that be. At the end of the day, Julita’s gran tell us her secret recipe for pickled herring.

See the rest at VBS.TV: From Poland with Love: Episode 5 - From Poland With Love | VBS.TV 

Mountains! Zakopane, the winter capital of Poland, welcomes Ivar and Julita. They have come to the country’s winter sports wonderland to meet an unlikely musical group. Trebunie Tutki: a legendary highlander band battling to defend their traditional ways against the rising tide of commercialization via the medium of reggae fusion. Then they’re straight off to OFF Festival to see bands like Fucked Up and one of Poland’s most revered acts, Myslovitz, who founded the festival which aims to promote homegrown talent alongside international stars.

See the rest at VBS.TV: From Poland with Love: Episode 3 - From Poland With Love | VBS.TV 

We get back on the road with Ivar after a night of clubbing. Before leaving Warsaw the team head to a 24 hour vodka bar to sample the true Polish approach to drinking. Once in Krakow Ivar and Julita hang out with Scott Simpson, an American historian who knows everything about ritual studies and drinking behavior. Then onward to to Nowa Huta – a weird post communist neighbourhood. Finally they hit the pierogi (dumpling festival) and visit loads of Krakow bars. Cue drunkenness and vodka. Even more of it…

See the rest at VBS.TV: VBS.TV 

Ivar flies to Warsaw on a mission to make a series about the modern Polish renaissance. He meets his beautiful guide, Julita, for the first time and they head off to meet Vienio, a pre-eminent Polish rapper who recycles Polish musical heritage as a producer. Then they head across town to meet Mitch&Mitch, one of Poland’s greatest bands, who claim to be “from nowhere.” Finally, they hang out with Pawel Althamer, a contemporary Polish sculptor, performance artist, action artist with strong feelings about his working class neighbourhood.

See the rest at VBS.TV: VBS.TV 

Next Monday we’re premiering From Poland With Love, our new should about every fascinating, awesome thing we’ve found in our favorite Central European country (sorry Slovakia, we know you’re trying). The show follows Ivar and Julita on their travels across one of the world’s most underexposed countries as they track down the best bands, artists, directors, places, people, parties and hooch emporiums Poland’s got to offer. Along the way, Ivar and Julita find out how the Poles helped fell the USSR, what it means to be a Polish punk, where to find real wodka, and how to make pickled herring — Polish granny style. 

Tune in to VBS next Monday, September 27th to watch our first foray into Poland’s great unknown.