Simona Kossak / 2024

Simona Kossak, daughter of the painter Jerzy Kossak and granddaughter of Wojciech, deprived of the talent that has defined her family for generations, grows up without knowing the warmth of home, as her mother is rather despotic. After graduation she leaves everything – home, tradition, social conventions – and takes up a job as a scientist in Białowieża. It’s then when she starts life on her own terms. She settles in the middle of the forest, in a house without electricity or running water, surrounded by wild nature. There, in a magical wilderness, she meets photographer Lech Wilczek, with whom she shares her passions – love for nature and… the need for freedom. Their extraordinary relationship defies all that’s considered standard. However, Simona’s ideas about the work of a naturalist and the position of a young woman in a world dominated by men are painfully verified. She must defend not only her ideals, but also the world of plants and animals.