The Warsaw University Botanic Garden is a kind of laboratory for an artist, a researcher and a scientist.
The fractal shapes of plants, evolutionary chaos, the fascinating way of plant reproduction – the people in the film encounter it all this in the space of one of the smallest botanic gardens in the world.
“Metamorphoses” is a documentary on the human need to transform and understand changeable natural reality.
For each person their relation to the garden has a different meaning and brings a different surprising outcome or a discovery.
The Garden appears in a symbolic way as a space where Art and Science can influence each other. The film‘s music was created by the composer Marzena Majcher who was inspired by the fractal patterns of plants. Her music creates an additional layer with which to experience the beauty of the garden.
Cinematographer Andrzej Wojciechowski created atmospheric pictures with intention to mesmerize the viewers.
Production: City Council of Warsaw / Julia Popławska
Date: 2020
Director: Julia Popławska
Run Time: 12 min
The variety of forms of the gardens can attract all those who are fascinated by the beauty created by man and nature. And I am among them. The Botanical Garden of the University of Warsaw is the smallest in Europe. It is situated in the centre of Warsaw and it used to be a part of the Łazienki Royal Garden, the most beautiful one in the city. It is a unique place surrounded by loud city streets. As an artist, I appreciated the easy acces to this peaceful space, where I could take pictures and make my short documentary films.
As I remembered, the symbolism of the garden was always very important in different cultures. I have been fascinated by its idea for a long time.
Gardening has evolved and changed over the centuries. At times, there was a very formal and architectural nature to gardens, while at other times the layout was more free-form. Sometimes the gardens were strictly meant to produce vegetables and herbs, and at other times they were solely ornamental, designed to bring pleasure to the observer. Each visit in the Botanical Garden revealed different aspects of its beauty to me. As a filmmaker I wanted to capture this and invite the viewers to an encounter with nature.
A scientist, an educator and an artist are inspired by various plants. Cinematographer Andrzej Wojciechowski filmed their work.
– What do you need to create a garden? –the director of the Botanical Garden of the University of Warsaw asked me
First I replied
– I need plants. But this was a wrong answer. Then I tried to guess once more and said – I need a bower. No.
And then it dawned on me! – To create a garden I need to have a fence! Yes.
That was the right answer. It is so simple!
The Garden appears in a symbolic way as a space where Art and Science can influence each other.
“Metamorphoses” is in competition of:
18 th Wlodzimierz Puchalski International Nature Film Festival in Lodz, Poland (2020)
13th Imagine Science Film Festival, NYC, USA (2020)
The film‘s music was created by the composer Marzena Majcher who was inspired by the fractal patterns of plants. Her music creates an additional layer with which to experience the beauty of the garden. Malina Midera interpreted her compositions with a great voice.
Julia Popławska 
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