Directed by Lukasz Grzegorzek (‘A Coach’s Daughter’), ‘My Wonderful Life’ or ‘Moje wspaniale zycie’ is a 2021 Polish comedy-drama (released on digital platforms in 2022). It revolves around Joanna “Jo” Lisiecka (Agata Buzek), a high school teacher deeply dissatisfied with her life. She goes to great lengths to serve the roles of wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, and nurturer and seems to get next to nothing in return. She has an affair with Maciek (Adam Woronowicz), another teacher at her school. Meanwhile, her husband, Witek (Jacek Braciak), is the school principal. Jo’s life becomes more complicated when someone starts blackmailing her about her affair.
Set in the Polish town of Nysa, “My Wonderful Life” is a poignant, warm and humorous film about life, love and the search for personal happiness. If you’re wondering if it was filmed on location or elsewhere and how much of the plot is based on real events, this is what you need to know.
Is My Wonderful Life a True Story?
No, ‘My Wonderful Life’ is not based on a true story. Grzegorzek developed the film from the screenplay he wrote himself. His wife, Natalia Grzegorzek, is the producer of the film. Grzegorzek grew up in Nysa, a town in the Opole Voivodeship (or Opolskie) in Poland. After World War II, Nysa was one of the territories ceded to Poland. As a result, the city has a mixed population including Poles, Czechs and Germans. Grzegorzek himself is a Pole of Ukrainian descent. He attended the very school that appears in the film and lived not far from where Jo holds his English lessons. His background in Nysa helped him develop his characters. He is also said to have stated that he wrote the characters of Jo and Witek with Buzek and Braciak in mind.
According to Grzegorzek, the cultural, ethnic and religious diversity of the region has made him what he is. Because of this environment, he and many others from similar backgrounds feel they have no roots. This is also present in the characterization of Jo. She must seek a moral compass within herself because her environment cannot provide it. So while “My Wonderful Life” may appear to be based on a true story due to its characters, setting, and narrative, it is ultimately a work of fiction.
My Wonderful Life Filming Locations
“My Wonderful Life” was mostly filmed on location in Nysa, Poland in the summer of 2020. Several cast and crew members shared photos from the shoot on their respective social media. Now, let’s look at specific locations in detail.
Nyssa, Poland
Nysa served as the main filming location for “My Wonderful Life”. The city is “reclaimed territory” that Poland won after World War II. After the German defeat, the Oder-Neisse line was recognized as the new border between Germany and Poland, and Nysa fell on the Polish side of the border. An overwhelming majority of the German population residing in the city was expelled from Poland.
Nysa is located in southwestern Poland, near the eastern Neisse River. It serves as the capital of the county of the same name. Nysa was probably established sometime in the 10th century and is one of the oldest cities in the Silesia region of central Europe. The city was once a leading industrial center known for agricultural products, machinery production, metallurgy, and building materials. In 2002, ZSD, a prolific delivery vehicle manufacturing business in Nysa, was closed, affecting much of the town’s population. However, Nysa is a town full of natural and architectural beauty and has the potential to become a popular filming destination.
Read more: Best Polish films
