Once Upon a Time
Poland 1957

Poland 1957, “Był sobie raz…” (original title), 9 min, colour & b&w, no dialogues dir Walerian Borowczyk, Jan Lenica sc Walerian Borowczyk, Jan Lenica cam Edward Bryła mus Andrzej Markowski pc Wytwórnia Filmów Dokumentalnych, Zespół Filmowy „Kadr” sales Wytwórnia Filmów Dokumentalnych i Fabularnych aw Venice IFF 1957 – Silver Lion; Mannheim IFF 1957 – Gold Ducat; Polish Critics Award 1958 – Warsaw Mermaid

According to Jan Lenica, Borowczyk approached him with the idea for a short film.  The poster artists approached Jerzy Kawalerowicz, then head of the Tor Film Unit. When asked what their film was about, the pair emptied paper cut outs from an envelop onto Kawalerowicz’s desk… While not the first cut out animation, Once Upon a Time is without a doubt one of the most innovative. In effect, Borowczyk and Lenica transformed the economy, wit and intelligence of the Polish poster into cinema. It is also notable for a groundbreaking electro-acoustic soundtrack courtesy of the Experimental Studio of Polish Radio.