All That Jazz

The film "There Was Jazz" tells the story of the first Polish jazz musicians who, during the Stalinist era, created music that became a symbol of freedom despite the ban. Falk, without focusing on a single protagonist, simultaneously portrays several characters – young musicians who, in the challenging times of the People's Republic of Poland, find in jazz a way to express themselves, a rebellion against the system, and a passion that cannot be suppressed. This makes the film a portrait of the jazz culture in 1950s Poland, documenting how young people, forced into conformity, refused to give in and fought for their artistic identity.