Aahana Swrup
Directed by Kristoffer Rus, ‘Less of a Stranger’ is a story about an ambitious young man who chases after his lifelong dream of becoming a rock star and, once there, tries to hold on to the intoxicating hilltop. Janek “Jan” Borysewicz is at the center of the story as an aspiring musician who sets out to put together a rock band in 1980s Poland, when the country is in the late stages of its communist rule. As a result, the guitarist and his bandmates become natural targets of the state, which sees them as tools to fuel public insubordination.
Yet, despite making enemies of the people at the very top, the band, christened as Lady Pank, continues to share their music with the fans, earning the title of one of the biggest rock bands in the country. That is, until the ghosts of Jan’s personal life catch up to the musician and his overarching career. Originally titled ‘Mniej Obcy,’ the Polish film shows the good and the bad of the showbiz, presenting a realistic depiction of the ways in which ambition and creativity can shape one’s life.
Less of a Stranger is Inspired by the Real Polish Rock Band, Lady Pank
‘Less of a Stranger’ charts a dramatized story set in Poland in the 1960s to 1980s, centering around the life of an artist who, from a young age, is determined to create the biggest rock band in the country. The film itself is heavily inspired by the real life of Jan Borysewicz, who serves as the central subject of the story. The legendary guitarist, born in 1955, is the co-founder of Lady Pank, a Polish rock band that remains active today. Borysewicz, the lead guitarist and composer on the project, founded the group with Andrzej Mogielnicki, who served as the lyricist. Over the years, the band’s roster has changed. Aside from Borysewicz, the lead singer, Janusz Panasewicz, remains the only original member in the band at the time of writing.
The band, formed during Poland’s politically tense communist rule, received scrutiny from the government for the content of their songwriting. One of their more popular songs, “Mniej niż zero” (“Less Than Zero”), from their debut album, reportedly came under official investigation by authorities, who scrutinized the band following the politically motivated murder of student Grzegorz Przemyk. Around the mid-1980s, Lady Pank gained traction in the States with the success of the same song on MTV. Throughout their decades-long run, and still counting, the band has sold millions of records, toured across Poland, Europe, and the US. During the height of its success, the band cemented itself as a pivotal part of Poland’s rock n’ roll genre.
Even though the history of Lady Pank and its impact on Polish pop culture remain central to the film, the project actually charts the biographical tale of the co-founder, Borysewicz. The narrative delves into the legendary guitarist’s childhood, teenage years, and beyond to explore the nature of fame, its benefits, and its drawbacks. In a conversation with Netflix, Łukasz Kłuskiewicz, Netflix CEE’s Director of Programming, spoke about the project. He said, “Jan Borysewicz is an extremely important figure in Polish culture—a rock icon whose work and charisma shaped the musical consciousness of many generations. This film will be a passionate story aimed directly at fans, but also an incredibly compelling on-screen adaptation of the amazing story of exceptional people.”
Jan Borysewicz Was Closely Involved in the Making of Less of a Stranger
In helming the narrative of ‘Less of a Stranger,’ Jan Borysewicz becomes the central figure and a subsequent source of inspiration for the film. For the most part, the story remains faithful to the musician’s life, showcasing his complicated family dynamics, including his close relationship with his older brother, Andrzej, who died by suicide early on in the guitarist’s career. It also touches upon what the film depicts as Borysewicz’s publicly acknowledged struggle with substance abuse and addiction, pitching the 1986 youth-day festival incident as a significant plot point in the film. As such, even though some creative liberties are taken in depicting the rock star’s reality, the story remains largely biographical.
This is because Borysewicz, who serves as the composer for the cinematic project, wanted to ensure authenticity in the depiction of his life story. In a conversation with Polska Agencja Prasowa, the musician revealed that he wanted the film to truthfully showcase his successes and mistakes as an artist and public figure, without any embellishments to reality. Thus, ‘Less of a Stranger’ remains true to reality in its depiction of Borysewicz’s chase after his ambitions, the freedoms it grants him, and the cost it harvests from his personal life. “I’m incredibly excited to see the story of Lady Pank and my journey brought to the screen,” the Polish rock star told Netflix. “I hope this film will show that back then, music was more than just playing—it was a form of our freedom.”
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