''Suicide Room'' ( pl, Sala Samobójców) is a 2011 Polish
drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...
thriller film
Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films' plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre ...
written and directed by
Jan Komasa
Jan Tadeusz Komasa (born October 28, 1981) is a Polish film director, screenwriter, and producer best known for directing '' Suicide Room'' (2011), '' Warsaw 44'' (2014), and ''Corpus Christi'' (2019), which was nominated for the Best Internatio ...
, and starring
Jakub Gierszał
Jakub Gierszał (born 20 March 1988) is a Polish actor. His screen debut was in 2009, playing the role of Kazik in the film '' All that I love'' (Polish: Wszystko, co kocham). He later starred in the film '' Suicide Room'' (Polish: Sala Samobójc ...
as a popular high school student whose life quickly deteriorates into ostracisation and depression.
The film premiered on 12 February 2011 at the
62nd Berlin International Film Festival
The 62nd annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 9 to 19 February 2012. British film director Mike Leigh was the President of the Jury. The first five films to be screened in the competition were announced on 19 December 2011. Am ...
and received a
wide release In the American motion picture industry, a wide release (short for nationwide release) is a film playing at the same time at cinemas in most markets across the country. This is in contrast to the formerly common practice of a roadshow theatrical re ...
on 4 March 2011. It garnered positive reviews, and went on to several awards, including best actor (
Jakub Gierszał
Jakub Gierszał (born 20 March 1988) is a Polish actor. His screen debut was in 2009, playing the role of Kazik in the film '' All that I love'' (Polish: Wszystko, co kocham). He later starred in the film '' Suicide Room'' (Polish: Sala Samobójc ...
), best actress (
Roma Gąsiorowska
Roma Gąsiorowska-Żurawska (born 29 January 1981 in Bydgoszcz) is a Polish actress and fashion designer. She played the role of "Sylwia" in the movie '' Suicide Room''. She is one of the TR Warszawa theatre's actors. Roma was interested in a ...
), best screenplay (
Jan Komasa
Jan Tadeusz Komasa (born October 28, 1981) is a Polish film director, screenwriter, and producer best known for directing '' Suicide Room'' (2011), '' Warsaw 44'' (2014), and ''Corpus Christi'' (2019), which was nominated for the Best Internatio ...
) and best film.
Plot
Dominik Santorski is a popular but spoiled teenager, whose success-driven parents are out of touch with his life. At school, Dominik and his friends stumble upon a self-harm video while using his computer. Later, Dominik watches the rest of the video and leaves a comment for the poster.
While drinking at an after-prom party, a girl admits to lesbian experimentation. A classmate, Aleksander, dares the girl to kiss her female friend. She agrees as long as Aleksander agrees to kiss Dominik. The two girls comply, and Aleksander and Dominik as well. A video of the two boys kissing is posted to social media, and Dominik's friends appear to find it cool. Later, when Dominik and Aleksander spar at judo practice, Dominik becomes aroused. This event is relayed to social media, and people begin to harass Dominik online.
Dominik meets Sylwia, a suicidal girl who cuts herself and wears a mask, in an online chat group called "Sala Samobójców" (The Suicide Room). Dominik begins skipping school to spend time online. When Dominik sees an online video showing shadow puppets named after him and Aleksander engaging in homosexual acts, he rampages through his room. Sylwia mocks his pain and encourages him to scare normal people. Dominik adopts an alternative look and takes his father's gun to school. When Aleksander approaches him with some friends after school, Dominik begins to take out his gun, but flees to his taxi.
Dominik discovers that Sylwia is a shut-in who
has not left her room in three years. Dominik stays locked in his room, talking with Sylwia. These events go unnoticed by his parents. Eventually, the family's housekeeper calls the police, who break down Dominik's door to find him sitting in a pool of blood beside a broken mirror. He is sent to a hospital and kept in a psychiatric ward for three days. His parents arrive to take him home, claiming that there is nothing wrong with him and that he should be studying for exams.
Dominik returns home and to The Suicide Room, where Sylwia tells him a love story in which the lovers commit suicide with pills and alcohol. After confessing that this is how she wants to die, she begs him to get pills for her. Having been sent to a psychiatrist, Dominik answers the questions in accordance with Sylwia's instructions. Sylwia feeds him answers that are designed to lead the doctor to give him the pills that she wishes to use. Dominik follows the lines Sylwia gives, but—in a plea for Sylwia to reconsider her suicide plan—continually remarks that no one should want to die.
As Dominik and Sylwia discuss where to meet and transfer the pills, Dominik's father rips out the router before their plans are set. Dominik panics, but later confesses to his parents. They forbid him from returning but, still wanting to see Sylwia, Dominik brings the pills to the bar they had discussed in the hope that Sylwia will show up. Dominik heads to the toilets and takes two handfuls of the pills. Dominik then finds a couple kissing and starts filming them. They take his camera and begin filming his delirium. Dominik returns to the bar, finds Sylwia, and kisses her passionately.
Later, at The Suicide Room, Sylwia talks about Dominik's long absence before seeing his avatar, only to learn that it's his mother, who announces that Dominik has died. It is revealed that Dominik never left the bathroom after taking the pills, and his overdose was filmed by the drunk couple. Dominik attempted to reverse his decision but to no avail. His death is posted online on The Suicide Room wall.
Cast
*
Jakub Gierszał
Jakub Gierszał (born 20 March 1988) is a Polish actor. His screen debut was in 2009, playing the role of Kazik in the film '' All that I love'' (Polish: Wszystko, co kocham). He later starred in the film '' Suicide Room'' (Polish: Sala Samobójc ...
as Dominik Santorski
*
Roma Gąsiorowska
Roma Gąsiorowska-Żurawska (born 29 January 1981 in Bydgoszcz) is a Polish actress and fashion designer. She played the role of "Sylwia" in the movie '' Suicide Room''. She is one of the TR Warszawa theatre's actors. Roma was interested in a ...
as Sylwia
*
Agata Kulesza
Agata Kulesza-Figurska (; born 27 September 1971) is a Polish film, television and stage actress, and a member of the Polish Film Academy. as Beata Santorska
*
Krzysztof Pieczyński
Krzysztof Pieczyński (born 27 March 1957) is a Polish actor. He appeared in more than fifty films since 1979.
Filmography
References
External links
*
1957 births
Living people
Polish male film actors
Polish male television actor ...
as Andrzej Santorski
*
Filip Bobek
Filip Andrzej Bobek (born 9 October 1980 in Gdańsk) is a Polish actor, best known for his role of the main love interest in '' BrzydUla''.
He studied at the National Academy of Dramatic Art in Warsaw. He began his career by starring in short f ...
as Marcin
* Bartosz Gelner as Aleksander Lubomirski
* Danuta Borsuk as Nadia
* Piotr Nowak as Jacek
* Krzysztof Dracz as the Minister of Economy, Andrzej Santorski's boss
* Aleksandra Hamkało as Karolina
*
Kinga Preis
Kinga Anna Preis (born 31 August 1971, in Wrocław) is a Polish film and theatre actress.
Life and career
She graduated from Ludwik Solski Academy for the Dramatic Arts in 1996. In 2006, she received the Zbigniew Cybulski Award for best young ...
as a psychiatrist
*
Anna Ilczuk as Ada
* Bartosz Porczyk as a stylist
* Wiesław Komasa as the principal
* Karolina Dryzner as Jowita
* Ewelina Paszke as the wife of the Minister of Economy
*
Tomasz Schuchardt
Tomasz Schuchardt (born 18 September 1986) is a Polish actor. He has appeared in more than twenty films since 2007.
Selected filmography
References
External links
*
1986 births
Living people
Polish male film actors
Polish film ac ...
as a bodyguard
Festivals and awards
In April 2011 the movie received the
International Federation of Film Critics
The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI, short for Fédération Internationale de la PRESse CInématographique) is an association of national organizations of professional film critics and film journalists from around the world fo ...
award at the
International Festival of Independent Cinema Off Plus Camera
International Festival of Independent Cinema ''Off Camera'' is a film festival held in Kraków, Poland, with up to 400 screenings annually, seminars, international stars, guests and jury. It is the first event of its kind in the country based o ...
, in June of that year it won the Silver Lions award at the
36th Gdynia Film Festival and individual awards
for sound and costumes for Bartosz Purkiewicz and Dorota Roqueoplo, respectively.
Jakub Gierszał
Jakub Gierszał (born 20 March 1988) is a Polish actor. His screen debut was in 2009, playing the role of Kazik in the film '' All that I love'' (Polish: Wszystko, co kocham). He later starred in the film '' Suicide Room'' (Polish: Sala Samobójc ...
received the Audience Award and was nominated for the 2011
Zbyszek Cybulski Award for the role of Dominik. In November 2011 the movie won 3 Golden Duck statuettes, awarded by the readership of the ''Film'' magazine, in the categories: Best Cinematography, Best Script and Best Film. Jakub Gierszał also won the award for Best Actor.
Wins
* 14th
Polish Film Awards
Polish Film Award, or Eagle ( pl, Polska Nagroda Filmowa, „Orzeł”) is a film awards ceremony given annually since 1999, with the first event held on 21 June, by the National Chamber of Audiovisual Producers (KIPA). Since 2003 they are given ...
** Eagle for Best Editing: Bartosz Pietras
** Eagle for Discovery of the year: Jan Komasa
*
Gold Ducks 2011
** Best movie: Jan Komasa
** Best actress: Roma Gąsiorowska
** Best actor: Jakub Gierszał
** Best script: Jan Komasa
** Best photoshooting: Radosław Ładczuk
*
New Horizons Film Festival
New Horizons Film Festival (previously: Era New Horizons; pl: Nowe Horyzonty) is an international film festival held annually in July in Wrocław, Poland. It has been organised since 2001. It is one of the biggest and most popular film festivals ...
2011
** New Polish Movies: Jan Komasa
** Best Debut: Jan Komasa
* 36th
Polish Film Festival
The Gdynia Film Festival (until 2011: Polish Film Festival, Polish: ''Festiwal Polskich Filmów Fabularnych w Gdyni'') is an annual film festival first held in Gdańsk (1974–1986), now held in Gdynia, Poland.
It has taken place every year sinc ...
** Silver lions for movie
** Silver lions for producer: Jerzy Kapuściński
** Another 2 individual prizes and 5 special prizes
*
Camerimage
The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage () is a festival dedicated to the celebration of cinematography and recognition of its creators, cinematographers. The first seven events (1993–1999) were held in Toruń, ...
2011
** The Best Polish Film
Soundtrack
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Suicide Room
2011 LGBT-related films
2011 films
Bisexuality-related films
Films about suicide
Polish LGBT-related films
Films about depression
Films about the Internet
Films about social media