“It’s only Rock” – dir. Paweł Karpiński (film)

„It’s only rock” – a film by Paweł Karpiński with narration by Dorota Masłowska

Paweł Karpiński’s 1983 film “It’s only rock” is a fascinating snapshot of the Polish rock boom of the early 1980s. With a fresh, authorial narration by Dorota Masłowska, the film gains a new and unexpected dimension.

The rock-fueled ’80s on screen

This is a story where, as Masłowska puts it, “in the haze of cigarettes and vodka, a dirty game for big money unfolds.”
Today — four decades later — the plot might come across as slightly naïve, with some narrative rough edges.
Still, this tale of rock idealists clashing with scheming agents from the ruthless music industry is, above all, a captivating document of an era when guitar-driven rock exploded in popularity across Poland.

“It’s only rock” features not only some of the biggest stars of the time — like Oddział Zamknięty and Lady Pank — but also punk and new wave newcomers who went on to achieve legendary status: Dezerter, Rejestracja, Śmierć Kliniczna. There’s even an international twist — the British band Classix Nouveaux, wildly popular in Poland but nearly unknown in their home country.

Dorota Masłowska as the guide

The version of  “It’s only rock” presented at the Fonomo Music & Film Festival is enriched by an original narration by Dorota Masłowska. From the very first seconds of the screening, Masłowska introduces the film as “a Polish production exploring the pressing issues of rock-themed subject matter.” Her distinctive and unmistakable voice makes the screening a completely new experience — even for those who have seen To tylko rock many times before. As Jakub Demiańczuk writes: “Her original voice-over, as always sharp and witty in spotting the absurdities of the story, helps uncover real human emotions and inner conflicts hidden beneath the layer of slightly dusty rock hits.”

This journey through the eccentric world of the Polish rock scene from 40 years ago becomes, unexpectedly, a fresh and thought-provoking experience — not only for fans of Polish music, but also for anyone drawn to surfing the wave of nostalgia for times gone by (not always for the better).

The screening is available in an accessible version for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers – featuring both original audio description and SDH subtitles (Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing).