'Svalbard in Polish Documentaries (1930s-2020s): A Conceptualized Inventory'

Abstract

For the first time ever, over fifty Polish documentaries about Svalbard, filmed during the ninety years of Polish presence on the archipelago, have been looked at and categorized. Four distinct periods of such documentary-making have been identified and characterized: the heroic (in the 1930s), the exotic (in the 1950s-60s), the routine (in the 1970-90s) and the ethical (from the 1990s until present). Common and specific trends for these periods have been detected. An analysis of selected films exemplifying each period has been made. Comparisons with other nations’ films about Svalbard (predominantly Russian and Norwegian) have been drawn. Possible future directions and topics for the Polish filmmaking about Svalbard have been considered.