Content created by Virtual Intern Radha Varadan

Michal Helwak is a Polish film-maker who touches not only his local community but global audiences through his candid documentary filmmaking.

Through his May 2017 International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), Helwak visited Hamtramck, Michigan, a city that was once a hub for Polish Catholics, but is now the first American city to have a Muslim majority in its local government.  Inspired by this history and the contacts he made through through the IVLP, Helwak soon crafted a new documentary idea.

This new documentary compares and parallels the demographic changes in Hamtramck with challenges of inclusion in Poland. Through collaboration with Oscar-nominated artistic supervisor Piotr Rosołowski and producer Marcin Wierzchosławski, Helwak’s documentary was brought to life.

Helwak cites the IVLP as both the inspiration for his documentary and as a motivating and inspiring experience in his ongoing battle with a genetic condition that impacts his mobility.

Through the medium of film-making, Michal Helwak establishes relationships and builds trust and understanding between community members.

Content edited by Sallie Bestul, Regina Navarro-Gomez, and Jenna Williams

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