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Once Upon a Time in November

Once Upon a Time in November

2017

Director

Andrzej Jakimowski

Runtime

88 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

Mareczek takes Mamusia from a little allotment house in the outskirts where she has been spending the nights recently. It’s too cold for her to stay there. They set out to the city together with Koleś, a stray dog. They had both lost their flat due to the brutal policy of the city authorities and now they keep going from one shelter to the next. Although the dog is a burden in these circumstances, Mamusia doesn’t want to part with it. The woman makes herself comfortable in a squat where she and Mareczek witness the brutal attempt at burning down the building together with its inhabitants made by fascist militia who had left the Independence March on 11th November a moment earlier. The filmmakers used documentary material of true street incidents.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

5.2/10

Fair

Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Limited

The film focuses on a maternal bond and a child's perspective. There is no explicit depiction of LGBTQ+ identities or non-heteronormative relationship structures within the narrative.

Gender Representation

Fair

The story prioritizes the female experience through Mamusia as she navigates systemic instability. It shifts focus toward a maternal-centric survival model rather than patriarchal leadership.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Fair

Set in a specific Polish socio-political context, the film focuses on local class struggles. There is no evidence of a multi-ethnic cast disrupting the local demographic norm.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Excellent

The narrative critiques institutional power and nationalist fervor. It uses documentary footage to highlight the oppression of state authorities and fascist militias against displaced citizens.

Disability Representation

Fair

No explicit mention of neurodivergence or physical disability is present. However, the characters' profound vulnerability and precarious living conditions mirror the fragility of those on society's margins.

Strengths

  • Strong critique of institutional power and oppressive state policies.
  • Meaningful portrayal of maternal agency and survival in a crisis.
  • Effective use of documentary-style realism to highlight social friction.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lack of explicit LGBTQ+ representation or queer-coded subtext.
  • Minimal racial and ethnic diversity within the local setting.
  • Absence of active agency regarding disability or neurodivergence.

AI Analysis

Andrzej Jakimowski’s drama is a gritty social critique centered on systemic displacement and political extremism. It prioritizes the emotional labor of a mother and child struggling against urban policy and state-driven homelessness. The film finds its strength in its anti-institutional stance, using documentary-style realism to challenge nationalist hierarchies. It frames the protagonists as victims of systemic failure rather than individual shortcomings. While the film lacks specific demographic representation for LGBTQ+ or multi-ethnic identities, it offers a powerful look at class struggle and the human cost of political violence.

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