Life Feels Good (Chce się żyć)

Heartbreaking and humorous, Life Feels Good has thrilled international audiences and swept the Polish Film Awards with virtuosic acting from Dawid Ogrodnik as Mateusz, a romantic, good-natured man with cerebral palsy who yearns to be understood by his family and friends. As he’s grown up, doctors and experts have considered Mateusz a ‘vegetable’ with little capacity for communication—and in doing so, disregarded his rich personality and emotional life. Based on a true story, Life Feels Good is a winning testament to the endurance of the human spirit. Ogrodnik (also in Ida) performs Mateusz with astute brilliance as he grows into a man in 1980s Poland, a cultural climate rife with discrimination. As Mateusz meets his challenges head-on—like devising an ingenious, agile way to move around his home—Ogrodnik’s empathetic portrayal is totally convincing. His family go through a range of emotions as they try to overcome their frustrations with naysaying clinical and institutional specialists. Mateusz has a breakthrough after meeting a teacher of Bliss language, a popular method to help engender nonverbal communication. Their collaboration revolutionizes Mateusz’s life. This award-winning film miraculously underscores the vital importance of being heard and understood.