Breast cancer doc hits theatres

October 19th, 2012

After being crowned best documentary at last month’s Montreal World Film Festival, Beauty and the Breast, directed by Liliana Komorowska, a Quebec filmmaker with Polish origins, will begin its run at the Cineplex Odeon Forum this Friday, October 19.
Distributed by Alliance Vivafilm, Beauty and the Breast, offers an insight into the devastating reality of breast cancer. Seen through the eyes of nine extraordinary women helping demystify the disease, the documentary paints a poignant and at times humorous portrait of survival. Starting from the diagnostic, the film explores every stage of the disease and follows the patients through their spiritual, mental and emotional experiences. Candid and self-effacing, these women bare their souls and their scars. Regardless of their social status, appearance or age (two of them are models!) they dismiss society’s general perception of feminine beauty and adapt to living with their mutilated bodies while maintaining strength, hope and pride. Beauty and the Breast is not only invaluable as a testament to human resilience, but it also proves that it is possible to reach timeless wisdom in the face of hardship.
Beauty and the Breast premiered in Poland on October 4th at the Warsaw Cinema Kultura to a full house. October is breast cancer awareness month and several of Poland’s best known associations and foundations sponsored the release of this documentary to mark the occasion. The evening started with an on-screen statement from Poland’s First Lady, Anna Komorowska, who spoke of how proud she is to be an honorary patron for a film making such an important statement for Polish women. Since the release, critics have highly praised Beauty and the Breast, giving it Four Stars in the “Gazeta Wyborcza”. Already playing in five cinemas in Warsaw, the documentary will be distributed throughout Poland starting October 29th by Orange Kino.
Actress turned director, Liliana Komorowska is an accomplished artist and a graduate of the State Theatre Academy in Warsaw with MA degree in Fine Arts. In 1980 she made her debut in the Masterpiece Theatre production of The Crucibles as Abigail, a role that won her the Best Debut Award by an Actress from the Polish Television Academy. She has performed classics in repertory theatre and was showcased in many award-winning films and television productions in Poland, England, United States and Canada.          
After becoming a soap opera star she moved from New York to California where she produced films with the likes of Peter Weller, Aidan Quinn, Donald Sutherland, Sir Ben Kingsley and Wesley Snipes. The last 15 years, Komoroska has established herself in Montreal where she has continued to passionately pursue her artistic career in directing and producing. In 2007, through her company QueenArt, she produced her first documentary Paradis perdu, Paradis retrouvé, broadcasted by TV Polonia. Beauty and the Breast is her first feature documentary.