REVIEW OF THE FILM "LIFE OF A BUTTERFLY"
Marcin "Różal" Różalski, the protagonist of the film by Piotr Bernań, professional kick-boxer and mixed martial artist, has war in his blood. He is merciless for his body, which he toughens up by discipline, training and fights in the ring. He does not mince words and openly speaks about his auto-destructive personality, dreamt-of death in the ring, and about pain, both physical and psychological. On the other hand, he tries to arrange his personal life, maybe in hope that it would pull him out of the abyss into which he slowly rolls down.
Fights within the frames of the all-encompassing mixed martial arts (MMA) discipline attract huge number of viewers in the modern arenas and in front of television screens, mainly because of their spectacular brutality. Marcin Różalski fights as if he had no fear for his own health. The film's director reveals another, almost gentle face of the tattooed "gladiator," as the mixed martial artists are sometimes called. Just like Andrzej Gołota in the documentary film "Endrju" by Tomasz Blachnicki and Robert N. Wachowiak, Różalski is not capable of parting with his profession. The refrain in "Life of A Butterfly" is the sound of rapid breathing and close-ups depicting stern, fierce look of the athlete. Usually, the anxious partner looks at him from a distance. In one of the scenes, she gives him a beautiful black horse as a present: "Ideal horse for you. You'll end your career, we'll start something completely new." However, there is no end of the career to be seen; in the last scene, Marta takes care of the animal, while Marcin trains for a new fight.
In "Life of A Butterfly," sound editing particularly stands out. The scenes are accompanied by the cacophony of training hall or poignant silence allowing the viewer to concentrate on the introspective shots of the main protagonist. Marcin Różalski talks about traumatic moments of his life, among others, about the accident which eliminated him from professional kick-boxing for good. The film-makers managed to portray his life in a very moving and reliable way.
Michał Kucharczyk