RIP, Marcin Wrona Director of DEMON

We at Vanguard are greatly saddened to hear the news that Marcin Wrona, director of Demon has passed away.

The Toronto International Film Festival issued the following statement regarding the passing of Polish director Marcin Wrona, including a quote from Vanguard Curator, Colin Geddes: 

“We are all deeply shocked and saddened at the news of the sudden death of Marcin Wrona. His film DEMON truly marked the emergence of a strong new voice on the world cinema stage. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family, especially his wife and producing partner, Olga Szymanska, who was with him at the premiere in Toronto.”

 The final screening of DEMON is scheduled to take place this evening at 9:15PM at Scotiabank Theatre during which time TIFF will take the opportunity to pay tribute to Mr. Wrona. 

We have this from publicist Jim Dobson's announcement of Wrona's death.

Marcin Wrona, the director of the Polish Horror film "Demon" which made its World Premiere in World Cinema competition at the Toronto Film Festival last week, was found dead in a hotel room in Poland on Friday night.

Wrona was preparing for the Polish premiere of the film at the Gdynia Film Festival. The film was also slated to premiere at the upcoming Fantastic Fest in Austin and the Sitges Film Festival, as well as theatrical release in Poland in October.

 Wrona, who was born in the city of Tarnów in southern Poland in 1973, and was considered to be one of the brightest talents of his generation in the Polish film industry, His film Demon hinges on a dybbuk, the spirit of a dead person who according to Jewish mythology haunts the living. The film, Wrona's third, was an unconventional approach to Poland's coming to terms with the Holocaust.

The director had just returned to Poland following the film’s success as the Toronto Film Festival. His newlywed wife Olga Szymanska was also producer on the film "Demon." They had just signed with ICM Partners to sell the film and to break into the U.S. market with future films.

Polish police are currently investigating the death and no further information is available.

The Music of Vanguard: DEMON'S Miąższ

 

Would some music make you feel better, sweetie?

When you are watching Demon, aside from wondering, "What is wrong with that guy?" and "How can anyone drink that much vodka?" you might be wondering about the amazing band playing the wedding. It's Miąższ and they are indeed pretty swell. I don't speak Polish, so I couldn't find much about them beyond that the band was founded in 2008 by members Karol Koolor Gadzało, Sebastian Pikula and Joanna Ewa Zawłocka. 

But I did find music videos for your enjoyment.

Miąższ go just a little surf, here.

Here they are performing one of the songs they perform in Demon. Miąższ live in Krakow!

And since we're on the topic of Polish folk fusion, creatures from Jewish legend and celebrations gone wrong, enjoy "Golem Fury" by Klezmafour

Catch just a little bit of Miąższ in Demon. (But maybe try to avoid the attention of a dybbuk).

DEMON Screening Times:
Sun. Sept 13, 4:15PM SCOTIABANK 10
Sat. Sept 19, 9:15PM SCOTIABANK 13

DEMON First Look: Poster and Trailer

Vanguard alum Marcin Wrona (The Christening, 2010) is returning to TIFF with the creepy tale of a dybbuk, a malicious spirit found in Jewish mythology, that possesses a man during just before his wedding. Demon is based on the Polish play Adherence by Piotr Rowicki and judging from the poster and trailer will leave you chilled and unsettled.

Below is the poster and the atmospherically creepy trailer for Demon, which plays this year's Toronto International Film Festival within the Vanguard programme.

(Source: Fangoria)

Further information about Demon can be found on the Festival website, as well as on the film's Twitter account.

DEMON screening times:

Sun Sep 13 10:00 PM SCOTIABANK 13
Tue Sep 15 4:15 PM SCOTIABANK 14
Sun Sep 20 2:30 PM SCOTIABANK 4