President Bronislaw Komorowski has awarded the photographer and filmmaker Joanna Helander the ”Freedom-and-Solidarity Medal” for her contributions to the democratization av Poland.

Joanna Helander was born in southern Poland and studied at the University of Kraków when she was imprisoned  for protesting the invasion of Czechoslovakia. In 1971 she emigrated to Sweden.

In photography books, films and exhibitions she has portrayed the country of her birth. Her books ”Kobieta” 1978, ”Letters from Poland”, 1986 and ”If She from Poland was Here”, 1999 – among others – have been critically acclaimed in Sweden and beyond.

The award-winning film trilogy ”Eighth Day Theatre”, ”Returning” and ”The Twins from Kraków”, which she made together with Bo Persson, has been screened in a number of countries. Their last film is “Waltz with Milosz”.

The film “Waltz with Milosz” by Joanna Helander & Bo Persson was selected to open the new filmfestival “Artvizje” in Katowice at Kino Rialto on May 8.

It was also invited to be screened at Kino Amok in Gliwice and had succesful screenings at the Kraków International Filmfestival in late May and early June.

On April 21 the Swedish Nobel Museum on Stortorget, Stockholm will screen a new version of Joanna Helander´s and Bo Persson´s short film dedicated to Wislawa Szymborska.
The film is inspired by Joanna Helander´s album “If She from Poland was Here” published by Almlöfs Förlag (Swedish version) and Znak (Polish version). In the film Erland Josephson & Czeslaw Milosz read Werner Aspenström´s poem “Om Hon från Polen vore Här” dedicated to Wislawa Szymborska.

Joanna Helander has written one of the introductory texts to the catalogue for Julia Pirotte’s exhibition at the Emanuel Ringelblum Jewish Historical Institute in Warszawa.
The exhibition “Faces and Hands” is open until May 2012.

Joanna Helander’s & Bo Persson’s short film “If She from Poland was Here” dedicated to Wislawa Szymborska was screened at MOCAK, the new Museum of Contemporary Art i Kraków in the evening following Wislawa Szymborska’s funeral.

Joanna Helander & Bo Persson present a short film “Zaklinacz Deszczu” dedicated to Julian Kornhauser.

Screening as part of evening dedicated to Julian Kornhauser at the International Cultural Centre in Kraków, September 20.

Joanna Helander shows a selection of photos as part of the exhibition “Ours -not Ours” in the Festival of Jewish Culture of Singer.

The opening of the exhibition is Sunday, August 28, at 17.00 on 29 Chlodna Street, Warszawa

Joanna Helander´s and Bo Persson´s awardwinning film “Eighth Day Theatre” (1992) will be screened at Zita, the cinema at Birger Jarlsgatan as part of this year´s Stockholm Festival of Culture on Aug 16 at 19.00. The directors and actors from the theatre company will be present.

The group will perform “Arka” at Sergels Torg at 22.00 the same day as part of the festival.