“Fackelmann” – the architect who built dreams out of concrete. Film and meeting with the director

29 October 2025, 18.00

The “naughty child” of functionalist architecture, an artist excluded for his idealism, an architect who argued with Nicolae Ceaușescu. The story of Hans Fackelmann begins in Banat. This multicultural region is the subject of the new issue of “Herito”, on the occasion of which we will present a documentary about the life and work of an architect who remained in the shadows for many years. We will also talk to Grațian Gâldău, the film's director, and the meeting with him will be moderated by Dr Michał Wiśniewski from the MCK.

We invite you to a screening of a documentary film that tells the story of Hans Fackelmann, an outstanding architect from the Romanian region of Banat, a representative of the avant-garde spirit of western Romania. It is a story of talent, passion and the struggle for authenticity in a world that was not always ready for visionaries. After the screening, we will talk to the film's director, Gratian Gâldău, who will tell us who Hans Fackelmann is to him and what the process of working on the film about him was like.

The documentary presents Fackelmann's most important achievements: the bright and welcoming buildings of the University of Timișoara, where over four thousand students still study today, the Ion Vid Music High School, considered one of the best concert halls in Europe thanks to its acoustics in the 1960s, and the brutalist churches in Orșova and Dumbrăvica, important landmarks of post-war Romanian architecture. These buildings are a testament to the architect's innovative and bold vision and an example of the use of concrete as a sincere means of structural and artistic expression.

In the film, Fackelmann's voice, accompanied by his photographs, takes viewers to Paris — the city of lights, whose streets are steeped in history and whose architecture becomes a character in its own right. This visit becomes the leitmotif of the story, offering an intimate insight into the architect's thoughts and visions. In his struggle against the views of higher political bodies, Hans Fackelmann faces serious challenges. His confrontation with Nicolae Ceaușescu over the demolition of churches becomes a turning point. The documentary ends with a look at the creator's legacy — an exemplary career as an architect, shown through fascinating buildings, and an example of talent and perseverance.

Simultaneous Polish-Romanian interpretation

An induction loop is available in the Pod Kruki Hall. More information about the loop at the MCK

Meeting co-organised by the Romanian Institute

“Fackelmann”

Screenplay and direction: Grațian Gâldău

Romania, 77 min.

Original language: Romanian. Subtitles: Polish

Grațian Gâldău – visual artist and documentary filmmaker. He studied at the art school in Timișoara, run by Constantin Flondor. He studied art in Timișoara and Bucharest at the Nicolae Grigorescu University, now the National University of Arts, graduating in 2004. He mainly works in experimental and documentary film and post-conceptual art forms, creating works in the spirit of objet trouvé and readymade.

Dr Michał Wiśniewski – representative of the Education Centre – Heritage Academy of the International Cultural Centre, architectural historian, curator of architectural exhibitions, author of books on the history of architecture. Employee of the University of Economics in Krakow and Fulbright scholar. Member of the board of the Architecture Institute foundation.

The event is organised as part of the Romania–Poland Cultural Season 2024–2025.

The Romania-Poland Cultural Season 2024–2025 is organised by the Romanian Ministry of Culture and the Romanian Institute of Culture, together with the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, with the support of the Polish Institute in Bucharest. During the season, several dozen events will take place, including exhibitions, music, theatre, film and literary events.

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The renovation of the ICC headquarters, including the Ravens Hall, will make our institution even more welcoming, modern and accessible to a wide audience thanks to the project "Modernisation and adaptation of the ground floor of the Ravens House and renovation of the technical infrastructure of the International Cultural Centre in Krakow" project, worth PLN 13,541,096.08. This project received PLN 8,744,388.51 in funding from the European Union's European Funds under the FEnIKS programme.

FEnIKS will not only enable the renovation of the Ravens Hall, foyer and lift lobby. The reconstruction of the ground floor of the tenement house will provide us with new spaces for cultural activities – the organisation of workshops, meetings, classes and film screenings. The ICC will be enriched with a bookshop, a café and new educational rooms.