‘The Peasants’ Used Ukrainian Refugee Choir In Score For Poland’s Oscar Submission – Sound & Screen Film

Fred Topel
·2 min read
‘The Peasants’ Used Ukrainian Refugee Choir In Score For Poland’s Oscar Submission – Sound & Screen Film

The Peasants Sound and Screen performance stood out with a full line of Polish dancers in the aisles. Composer Lukas Rostkowski, aka L.U.C., said the animated film’s score also included a choir of refugee singers from Ukraine.

“These ladies came from Ukraine to dance and they were just amateurs,” Rostkowski said. “They were singing after the war because when they were singing, that was the only moment where they didn’t think about the war and their husbands’ death.”

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Rostkowski added that many of the film’s painters also were based in Ukraine and had to be evacuated to complete the movie.

The Peasants is directors DK and Hugh Welchman’s follow-up to Loving Vincent, using the same animation style of painting every frame over actors’ performances. The new film is based on Wladyslaw Reymont’s novel about a 19th century peasant who marries a wealthy husband.

Rostkowski said the score combined simple Polish and Slavic instruments with no electronics.

“It’s probably the most low-carbon soundtrack in the world,” he said.

On the set of The Peasants, Rostkowski, played the accordion as part of the band performing the score. He called the four-year process of making the pic “my film academy.”

Rostkowski recalled loving film growing up in Poland, when only one American western played every Saturday. Rostkowski began his music career playing guitar and then rapping but struggled to find a place.

“I was always too hip-hop for jazz, too jazzy for hip-hop,” he said.

Rostkowski said he added body percussion to his guitar for his rap soundtrack.

“Music is in the body,” he said. “Everything is music.”

Indeed, Rostkowski played the drums in the orchestra onstage. And he has even more instruments in his repertoire.

“Next time can be the flute,” he said.

The Peasants is Poland’s submission for the Best International Film Oscar. It opens in December 8 in limited release.

Check out the panel video above.

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