INFORMATION PORTAL OF THE MARSHAL'S OFFICE OF THE KUJAWSKO-POMORSKIE Region IN TORUŃ

The Kujawy Pomorze Film Fund is the patron of the upcoming documentary “Being Like Yerka” (Być jak Yerka). Details of the production were revealed during a press conference attended by Vice-Marshal Zbigniew Ostrowski, filmmakers Ryszard and Magdalena Kruk, and the protagonist himself.

The documentary “Being Like Yerka” promises a unique journey into the imaginative world of one of Poland’s most recognizable surrealists – Toruń-based painter Jacek Yerka. His works seamlessly blend everyday life with fairytales, and personal memories with universal symbols. The production will combine an observation of the artist’s creative process with a cinematic narrative about memory, childhood, and inspirations rooted in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region. Toruń filmmaker Ryszard Kruk, who has been professionally active in the region for years, is responsible for the script, direction, and production. The Biały Kruk Foundation, which is implementing the project, is also based in Toruń.

“I met Mr. Jacek Yerka at an exhibition opening a year ago. I proposed making a film, and the Master liked the idea that it wouldn’t be a standard biography, but rather an immersion into his work. Hence the title ‘Being Like Yerka,’ referencing the well-known film. We will step into the artist’s mind and witness the creative process. Through animation, we want to set the paintings in motion and enter them alongside the author. This will, of course, be linked to his inspirations – specifically numerous locations in Toruń, where he grew up and studied, which is evident in his art. We will enter his life through his art,” says director Ryszard Kruk.

The film is being produced in cooperation and co-production with the Feature Film Studio (WFF) in Wrocław, where a portion of the cinematography and image animations will be created. The final results will be unveiled in May 2027. The production is made possible through the patronage of the Kujawy Pomorze Film Fund.

“What I value in Ryszard Kruk’s work is that his documentaries address significant phenomena, events, and figures from our region. I recall his films about the band Republika or Zbigniew Jaskulski from Czarne Błoto. Jacek Yerka is an incredibly recognizable figure. Last year, we co-organized a beautiful exhibition at the Od Nowa club as part of the Nicolaus Copernicus University celebrations. We hope this film will complement the promotion of Mr. Yerka’s work. The Kujawy Pomorze Film Fund supports this project, and I believe we are participating in the creation of something exceptional. Films supported by the fund often break through to festival screens and win awards. This is an interesting structure, as the Fund is tied to the economic development of the region. All beneficiaries must anchor the fund’s benefits in promoting the economy of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region. It works brilliantly,” says Vice-Marshal Zbigniew Ostrowski.

The filmmakers do not intend to create a classic biography. Instead of a chronological life history, viewers will be invited into Yerka’s extraordinary world, filled with symbols and memories. The central theme of the documentary will be the observation of the artist at work on a new painting, the subject of which was suggested by the filmmakers. The camera will accompany the painter both in his studio in the Bory Tucholskie forest – surrounded by the woods and old buildings that have inspired his art for years – and in the urban spaces that have shaped his creative vision.

“Meeting director Ryszard Kruk has changed my life, you could say, because everything now revolves around this film. How would I like to be portrayed? I have various cool ideas, but I’d like someone from the outside to decide. I feel a bit like I’m in a different reality. I am a somewhat private person, so I won’t be opening up extensively, but the filmmakers will likely coax some confessions or reflections about my life out of me. I invited the crew to my studio. The rabbits agreed – I share the space with them. I think they’ve come to terms with the fact that they’ll be on the sidelines and won’t be the main stars,” says Jacek Yerka.

Toruń, the artist’s hometown, will play a vital role. The documentary will feature characteristic locations from the painter’s childhood: the Bydgoskie Przedmieście district, the Toruń Old Town, Prussian timber-framed walls, and the Vistula riverbanks. Grudziądz, with its stunning panorama and old town, is another planned filming location. These spaces, present in Yerka’s paintings like fragments of memory, will provide the emotional backdrop for the story of the birth of an imagination. Most of the filming will take place within the region, primarily in Toruń and the Bory Tucholskie forest.

The creators also promise a unique visual form. The documentary will blend classic observational footage with staged scenes and studio sequences, allowing the viewer to symbolically “step into” the artist’s surrealist paintings. A key narrative element will be Yerka’s own writings – filled with dreams, memories, and anecdotes – which, combined with music and ambient sound, will create a suggestive atmosphere.

“Being Like Yerka” aims to be more than just a portrait of an eminent painter; it is a reflection on the nature of the creative process. The film will show how universal art, recognized worldwide, is born from everyday experiences, local landscapes, and memories.

The production is expected to interest the artistic community and festival audiences in Poland and abroad, targeting lovers of art, arthouse cinema, and high culture. Due to its experimental form and educational value, the film has the potential to reach not only television and film festivals but also museums and cultural institutions.

The film is created in cooperation with the Kujawy Pomorze Film Fund and with the support of European funds, as part of an EU project promoting local micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with a particular focus on the creative industry through product and service placement in film.

Department of Promotion

May 5, 2026