A Night in the Kindergarten

Polish, Rafał Skalski & Marek Baranowski both took part in Le Goupe Ouest workshop, LIM | Less is More, in 2020 for the development of their feature film, “A Night in the Kindergarten” (Noc W Przedszkolu).

Synopsis

The parents’ kindergarten council meets to rehearse for a Christmas play they organize for their kids. Unexpectedly, Eryk, who dates the mother of 5-year-old Tytus, one of the preschoolers, shows up at the meeting, being its only childless participant. During the rehearsal, Eryk discovers a secret plan of charismatic Justyna, who intends to convince most of the parents to expel Tytus from the kindergarten. The council’s meeting turns into a “court trial” over the naughty 5-year-old. Eryk decides to defend the boy, whom he doesn’t like. At first, he defends the kid for selfish reasons, but then he destroys the bizarre network of parental relations in the kindergarten and gets ready to become a parent.

A NIGHT IN THE KINDERGARTEN is Poland in a nutshell, seen through the lens of stressed parents and one aspiring stepfather, who accidentally steps into the middle of parental hell.

Rafał Skalski & Marek Baranowski at LIM MEET in Plouneour-Brignogan in 2020, exchanging with their producer | © Gabriel Brunet-Sanz

Intentions – Rafał Skalski 

The boy’s expulsion from the kindergarten polarizes attitudes and tests the moral condition of the unique microsociety of the parents’ council. For me, A NIGHT IN THE kINDERGARTEN is a “dark night” metaphor, a Polish parent’s worst nightmare. The confined situation allows for the accumulation of most parenting problems to be exposed during this one event.

Following the black comedy formula, the film tells a dramatic story of the exclusion of an individual who differs from imposed norms. I’d like the viewers to ask themselves: if my child was attacked by a violent preschooler, would I be empathetic enough towards the attacker? Eryk uses unconventional methods to make the parents find the empathetic adult within themselves. Anyone who tries hard to be a perfect parent forgets the time they were kids.

Eryk may become a responsible carer once he realizes Tytus is like the kid he was in the past. He finally accepts the young boy who still lives on inside him. You can’t be a cool parent without liking the kid you used to be.