Ewa Ciszewska: Practical Friends: Poland and Czechoslovakia in the Cold War Project of Socialist Film Internationalism in the Years 1945–1970

University of Łódź. 2025. 262p.

Authors

  • Paulina Duda Brown University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17892/app.2025.00020.403.

Keywords:

Polish cinema, Czechoslovak cinema, Cold War, FAMU, cultural transfer, new film history

Abstract

Ewa Ciszewska’s study of Polish-Czechoslovak film relations (1945–1970) offers a richly documented account of cultural exchange under socialism, privileging interpersonal collaboration over textual analysis. Drawing on extensive archival research and interviews, the book reveals a complex yet pragmatic relationship, with Poland largely benefiting from Czechoslovakia’s stronger postwar film infrastructure. Key themes include educational mobility, film festivals, and the limited co-productions between the two nations. The book contributes significantly to Poland’s “New Film History” by emphasising transnational networks and pragmatic alliances over ideological unity. A vital work published in Polish, Practical Friends invites broader comparative scholarship.

Practical Friends Book Cover

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Published

02-10-2025

How to Cite

Duda, Paulina. 2025. “Ewa Ciszewska: Practical Friends: Poland and Czechoslovakia in the Cold War Project of Socialist Film Internationalism in the Years 1945–1970: University of Łódź. 2025. 262p”. Apparatus. Film, Media and Digital Cultures of Central and Eastern Europe, no. 20 (October). https://doi.org/10.17892/app.2025.00020.403.

Issue

No. 20 (2025)

Section

Reviews

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Copyright (c) 2025 Apparatus. Film, Media and Digital Cultures of Central and Eastern Europe

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