Czarny scenariusz. Strategie obrazowania potransformacyjnego Górnego Śląska w Sercu z węgla i Benku
A Black Scenario: Strategies of Visualizing Post-Transformation Upper Silesia in Serce z węgla [Heart of Coal] and Benek [Benek]

Summary/Abstract: Based on an analysis of pop cultural representations – the reality television show Serce z węgla [Heart of Coal, 2001] and the feature film Benek [Benek, 2007] – Kosterka examines the visualization of post-transformation Upper Silesia in 21st-century Polish film. She draws on psychoanalysis to explore why Upper Silesia has become attractive especially to those directors who aim to highlight the negative consequences of the socio-economic transformations after 1989: poverty, unemployment, frustration and a lack of perspective. The aim of this article is to draw readers’ attention to the fact that in 21st-century representations, Upper Silesia is mostly understood, visualized and spoken about as a space of ‘wilful exclusion,’ which has helped solidify the post-transformation status quo.

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