Shooting for the film started in early October, and work on the film has been ongoing since 2019. The latest production by Watchout Studio stars Tomasz Włosok and Michalina Olszańska. In other roles we will see, among others: Andrzej Chyra and Tomasz Kot.
Jerzy Kulej won Olympic gold twice. The filmmakers will also show his private life
“Kulej” is supposed to be the story of a legendary boxer, a double European champion and an eight-time Polish champion, who has never been on the boards and was the only one to win two Olympic gold medals. The film’s premiere is scheduled for fall next year. Photos from the film set can be seen in the gallery next to this article.
“Kulej” will focus on the period between 1964 and 1968, when Jerzy Kulej won gold at the Tokyo Olympics, and then repeated this feat in Mexico. As the creators announce, it is a multi-dimensional story of an athlete, his triumphs in the ring, the color of the era, but also a story about the turbulent fate of the Kuleja marriage, which was the foundation of Jerzy’s success. The creators will show the private challenges that the boxer had to overcome to reach the pinnacle of his sports career.
The main role is played by Tomasz Włosok, who impressed the director with his dedication and determination in preparing for this extraordinary, demanding role. The actor, who has been practicing kickboxing for years, has been strengthening his boxing training for months and attending movement choreography and dance classes to more effectively imitate the fighting style of the bygone era. Especially for this role, under the watchful eye of dietitians and trainers, he changed beyond recognition.
“Love, world of boxing, rock’n’roll”
The role of Helena Kulej, Jerzy’s wife, is played by Michalina Olszańska. Andrzej Chyra plays the coach of the Polish national team – another famous figure in the boxing world, Feliks “Papa” Stamm. Tomasz Kot plays the role of a colonel, head of the Gwardia sports club. The director is Xawery Żuławski (“The Thaw”, “Apokawixa”, “Blood of Blood”, “Bird Talk”, “Polish-Russian War”, the series “Pitbul”). Together with Rafał Lipski, he is also the author of the script. Marian Prokop (“Miasto’44”, “Letters to M.”, “Wojna polsko-ruska”) is responsible for the photos. Żuławski says about his hero and the film:
A film about Jerzy Kulej is the fulfillment of my dreams related to the production of a production referring to the 1960s. At that time, in the sad and gray realities of the past period, real people full of emotions and color were an important part of society. Among them, the Kulejas, Jerzy and Helena stood out, representing great love, the world of boxing, rock’n’roll, two Olympics and the fascinating flirtation of sport with politics and the underworld of those times. All this, in my opinion, is the essence of good cinema.
Jerzy Kulej was born on October 19, 1940 in Częstochowa, died on July 13, 2012 in Warsaw. After ending his boxing career, he was a sports commentator and a member of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland of the 4th term.
Source: Gazeta
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