A Time For Yourself
Short film
Retirement forces Karol to confront a life he has so far avoided – and a wife he stopped understanding long ago.
„A Time for Yourself” is a story about love, disappointments, and decisions that cannot be undone. Karol, a postman entering retirement, seems to have everything needed for a peaceful life. Yet instead of relief and joy at having free time, he feels emptiness. Together with his wife Zofia, he lives through a day that was meant to celebrate a new stage of life, but which turns into an evening filled with painful confessions.
It is a film about routine that consumes relationships, about unspoken grievances and frustrations leading to irreversible decisions. The story of Karol and Zofia shows how easily people can grow apart, despite years spent together.
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Why this film?
The inspiration for the concept came from observing people close to us and our acquaintances – especially seniors – who often remain in relationships out of habit, practicality, or fear of loneliness.
In our conversations with them, the topic of lacking support from a partner, mutual motivation, and „pulling each other upward” frequently emerges. Unfortunately, the same individuals often mention criticism and discouragement coming from those closest to them. As a result, many of them abandoned their passions, interests, or dreams long ago.
We believe that everyone has the potential within themselves to stand up for who they are – regardless of age or the stage they are currently at in their life journey.
As filmmakers, we deeply believe that films have the power to change the world – they are a powerful medium that conveys emotions through imagery. Drawing on this potential, we address the film to a broad spectrum of society. We aim to reach younger generations, but we also want seniors to find something meaningful for themselves in this production.
„A Time for Yourself” will not change viewers’ lives, but it may encourage reflection – about themselves, their relationships, and the values they assign to their own lives.
Photos
Cast
Jacek Kawalec
Role: Karol
Character description: 67 years old, he is just retiring after more than forty years as a postman in a small, quiet town. Daily bicycle rides to deliver mail were a constant in his life, and among the locals, his bicycle and mailbag were his defining attributes. He felt needed and respected by both the townspeople and his colleagues at work.
Now that he's no longer working, Karol feels that something in his life has ended, and the void left by his job is becoming difficult to fill.
Małgorzata Puzio
Role: Zofia
Character description: 65 years old, a retired preschool teacher. Zofia is a woman who always knows what she wants. She comes from a wealthy family, which from a young age gave her a sense of self-confidence and an advantage over others. Zofia decided to become a preschool teacher because working with children seemed fulfilling and allowed her to fully utilize her organizational skills. Thanks to her parents' support, she could afford a peaceful life and fully dedicate herself to her job, in which she was highly decisive.
Zofia quickly gained a reputation for „getting everyone her way” – both the children and her colleagues.
Filmmakers
Jacek Półtorak
Director
Director, screenwriter, director of photography, and photographer. In his free time, he is a musician. He has been active in the film industry since 2017. Owner of Emotions Production, a film and video production company. Director and producer of short narrative films Messenger (2021), The Last Time (2022), and Fourth Tariff (2024), as well as director of the web series Wake Up (2026). Director of photography for Mężczyzna ze Skrzyni (2024) and Betiar (2026). Throughout his career, he has produced numerous commercials for digital platforms, cinema, and television. He is currently attending a postgraduate course in Film Directing at the Warsaw Film School.
„Films give us an incredible opportunity to express ourselves, our views and approach to life in a very attractive, accessible form for everyone. Thanks to this, we can - with the help of actors and film tools, create our own reality and share it with the world. The art of film has many faces that make it even more beautiful - similarly to us, people. Our diversity and individuality of each of us moves me the most in the world. I believe that it is worth creating diverse and non-obvious films. To break social patterns with them, but also to give viewers a lot of emotions - including joy.”
Artur Michalik
Director of Photography
A film and television cinematographer and screenwriter, he graduated in Film Studies and Polish Philology from the Jagiellonian University. He graduated from the Screenwriting Atelier and is currently continuing his studies in the Script program at the Wajda School. He is a member of the Polish Screenwriters Guild and co-owner of the production house Streamline Media Productions, where he develops his own film projects.
His credits include the short fiction films "Wyrazy bliskoznaczne" (2023), for which he wrote the script and directed the cinematography, and "Matka" (2024), for which he was responsible for the visuals. He is currently working on the feature film "Postój", financed by the Polish Film Institute under the "Microbudget" program, where he wrote the script and served as cinematographer.
Monika Niamtrakoon
Production Manager
Production manager, sociologist, and project manager. A graduate of the Warsaw Film School, majoring in Film and Television Production Organization, she has experience in both commercial projects and original short films.
Her film debut was the project Messenger (2021). Professionally, she specializes in organizing all types of commercials – promotional films, adaptations, live-action scenes, photo shoots, and product shoots. In production, she focuses on precise planning, meticulous preparation, and effective project execution.
Dominik Bożyk
Assistant Director & Casting Director
A film, theater, and voice actor, casting director, and assistant director, he has starred in short films, television series, and voiceover projects for streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon.
He has worked on numerous commercials, and his stage experience encompasses both drama and dance. He is fascinated by working with actors and building fully fleshed-out characters. In film, he seeks truth and emotion that engages the viewer. He believes that casting is not just about choosing faces, but above all, choosing hearts and souls that tell a story.
Michał Pyszora
Film editor
Film editor, graduate of the Warsaw Film School, lecturer in editing at the Film and Game Creation High School. He has edited numerous short films, including: Czarna Chusta (2025), Nibylandex (2024), Przegryw (2024), Czwarta Taryfa (2024), Moja (2024), Syn Szczęścia (2024), Jedna/Druga (2023). His films have won awards at international festivals.
He has been editing for 12 years and continues to seek new narrative methods. He is fascinated by moments that escape traditional editing – the moments just before the clapperboard roll and just after the scene ends, where emotions often lie hidden, giving the story a new dimension. For him, editing is not just a technique, but above all, rhythm – precisely constructed or deliberately disrupted to give the image a unique dynamic.
Gabriela Siecińska
Set designer
A set design student at the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow, she is interested in both theater and film, as both fields allow her to combine her sensitivity with practical skills.
She experiments with color, materials, and light, creating authentic and engaging set designs using these media. These mediums allow her to visualize characters and create atmosphere through light and materials, which brings her great pleasure.
