In their filigree drawings populated by hybrid creatures, Polish twin sisters Alicja und Bożena Wahl didn’t just explore themselves, but also the close relationship they shared. Helena Stańczyk’s animated film brings these drawings to life and supplements them with collages and texts taken from Alicja’s diary entries from the 60s and 70s. At times directly addressing her sister Bożena, Alicja’s voice gives an account of surreal dreams and events involving her daughters while reflecting upon memories. Shot through with different physical and mental motifs, “I’m Painting a Self-Portrait, but All I See Is My Sister’s Face” is a film teeming with different elements, abruptly propelling the viewer into a place of artistic symbiosis and female self-discovery. A tribute to two women who left their mark on the Warsaw art scene and have received increasing international attention posthumously too.

Carolin Weidner