Sumith Prasad
Directed by Maciej Bochniak, Netflix’s Polish film ‘Freestyle’ revolves around Diego and Flour, two singers who try to launch themselves into the Polish hip-hop scene by creating a rap album. When their aspirations confront a lack of money, they sign up for a drug deal, only to deal with its unforeseen consequences. Diego and Flour get entangled in a network of drug lords, which affects their prospects of becoming established singers. Intrigued by their tale, the viewers must be curious about the real-life connections of the protagonists. Do Diego and Flour have real-life counterparts? Well, here’s everything you need to know about the same!
Diego and Flour, the Characters are Fictional
Diego and Flour are fictional characters conceived by director Maciej Bochniak and his screenwriting partner Slawomir Shuty. However, they remind us of several rappers from across the world, who had to embrace music to distance themselves from the chaotic reality around them. Diego seeks solace in rap music to stay away from the drug scene of the city of Kraków, especially after completing his rehabilitation. Like rap gives Diego a chance to open a new chapter of his life, music has been empowering several musicians to overcome challenges in their personal lives.
Several globally renowned rappers were involved in the trade of drugs, most notably Jay-Z and 50 Cent. Jay used to sell drugs before becoming a rap icon on the streets of New York City. The acclaimed singer then used the same experiences to write famed songs. Similarly, 50 Cent used to sell crack cocaine before discovering rap as a life-saver. Diego’s experiences aren’t drastically different from the upbringing of several rappers who were once part of a life-threatening network of narcotics. Bochniak and Shuty must have drawn inspiration from their lives while characterizing Diego and Flour.
Placing them in the Polish rap scene might have been an easy feat for Bochniak, who was a musician himself. Before becoming a filmmaker, Bochniak attended a music school and played drums while aspiring to become a professional musician. The roots of Diego and Flour’s ambition to become highly regarded musicians can be in the director’s childhood dream. Even after becoming a filmmaker, Bochniak stayed close to music by making music-related documentaries such as ‘Ethiopiques: Revolt of the Soul’ and ‘One Billion Happy People’ and the feature film ‘Disco Polo.’ It is evident that the director integrated his love for music into the life sagas of Diego and Flour.
Since Bochniak was raised in Kraków, ‘Freestyle’ is a personal film for him. Although Diego and Flour are not based on any real-life figures, the director’s passion for music and his experiences of living in a city like Kraków make the characters realistic. Even though they are fictional, they represent an enormous group of musicians who tried to survive the world of drugs by embracing the strength of music.
