Given the fact that the catholic church has been investigated for many accounts of misconduct and sexual abuse against children, one expects a newly announced Polish film titled Altar Boys to be precisely about that topic – but one would be mistaken. Based on a synopsis published by the film's local distributor, the latest and fourth feature directed by Piotr Domalewski (Silent Night [+lire aussi :
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interview : Dawid Ogrodnik
interview : Piotr Domalewski
fiche film], I Never Cry [+lire aussi :
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interview : Piotr Domalewski
fiche film], Operation Hyacinth) sounds like a dramedy about little rascals who sneak around a housing estate in small-town Poland. One day, the gang of four pre-teens taps a confessional box and, aware of all the “sins” of their neighbours, decide to take justice into their own hands. Naturally, they will soon discover that not everything is black or white, and that the word of the Lord can have different readings. The film is currently described as "full of irony and rebellion". 

Domalewski, who also penned the script, is known for writing intimate, warm portraits of characters based on people he is close to, who are also full of a feeling of loss and abandonment. It’s more than likely that this film will follow such lead, since Domalewski was an altar boy himself for 12 years and grew up in a small town. His creative team includes his longtime collaborators, including DoP Piotr Sobocińsk Jr., editor Agnieszka Glińska (who has also worked on The Girl with the Needle [+lire aussi :
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interview : Besir Zeciri
interview : Directors Talks @ European…
interview : Magnus von Horn
fiche film] and EO [+lire aussi :
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fiche film]), costume designer Aleksandra Staszko (Ida [+lire aussi :
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interview : Pawel Pawlikowski
interview : Pawel Pawlikowski
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Q&A : Pawel Pawlikowski
fiche film]), sound designer Jerzy Murawski, who are joined by recent European Film Award winner and production designer Jagna Dobesz. The film is produced by Leszek Bodzak, Aneta Hickinbotham, Piotr Walter, and Jarosław Jakubiec through Aurum Film (Corpus Christi [+lire aussi :
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interview : Bartosz Bielenia
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interview : Dawid Ogrodnik
fiche film]). Altar Boys will introduce Tobiasz Wajda, Bruno Błach-Baar, Mikołaj Juszczyk and Filip Juszczyk, and the cast also includes Tomasz Schuchardt (Silent Night) and Kamila Urzędowska (The Peasants [+lire aussi :
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fiche film]). 

As Leszek Bodzak clarifies to Cineuropa, Altar Boys is for now a working title – it’s a literal translation of the original, Polish title Ministranci. The film is expected to be ready in 2025, and Polish distributor is Next Film. World sales are open.