LOST VOICE. SEARCHING FOR MARCELLA SEMBRICH

Written by Radka Franczak
Directed by Radka Franczak
Genre documentary
Stage development
Length 80 min.
Co-producers Władysław Ślesicki Film Foundation

A personal, intimate, poetic journey of director Radka Franczak, who will discover the story of her great-great aunt the most famous singer of her time, today completely forgotten.
Marcella Sembrich was a star, a millionaire and philanthropist, independent self-made woman. The director wants to understand how she went from a poor child in a place where a girl couldn’t decide about her future, to a woman who dared to follow her talent and dreams and created the life she’d wanted.

Radka Franczak, writer & director

Director, scriptwriter, film editor and photographer. Graduated from Film Editing and New Media Department at Polish National Film School in Łódź and DOK PRO at Wajda School in Warsaw. She took part in international workshops such as: Berlinale Talent Campus, Ex Oriente Film and EAVE. She has directed a short documentary (10min) “Stiepan” and a mid- length documentary (50min) “Losing Sonia” (2012) both produced by Wajda Studio.

Recently Radka’s first novel was published in Poland (Wydawnictwo Marginesy, 2016). Currently she develops a documentary feature film “Lost Voice: searching for Marcella Sembrich” about her ancestor, who was a great opera diva of the turn of XIX and XX century.

Selected festivals and prizes “Losing Sonia” (2012)

International premiere at Visions du Réel 2012
Polish premiere at 52. Krakow Film Festival 2012
55th International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film, Leipzig, Germany
16. International Dokumentary Film Festival OFF CINEMA, Poznań, Poland(2012)
SILVER CASTLE AWARD
22 MKF, Moscow, Russia, BRONZE KNIGHT,
41 Lagow Film Festiwal, Lagow, Poland, BRONZE CIRCLE