Sartaj Singh
Directed by Maciej Barczewski, ‘The Champion’ transports us to the dire scenario of Polish concentration camps in World War II. Polish prisoners are brought to the newly created Auschwitz concentration camp, with Tadeusz “Teddy” Pietrzykowski, a pre-war boxing champion, among their number. When his skills are revealed in a fight within the camp, boxing becomes a new form of entertainment for camp officers and, at the same time, a source of gambling for German soldiers. Teddy fights doesn’t fight for entertainment but for the hopes and lives of the Polish prisoners until he is prepared for a final match that puts his freedom on the line. The Polish Netflix film, also called ‘Mistrz,’ is based on true events and brings the hellish environments of the German death camps to gritty life.
Where Was The Champion Filmed?
Filming for ‘The Champion’ took place in the towns of Piaseczno and Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki in Poland. Principal photography was carried out in the fall of 2019. The cast and crew seemed to be proud of their accomplishments behind the scenes and of the story they were retelling. “I’m happy to be a part of this story and that I had the opportunity to work with such great people,” wrote actor Rafał Zawierucha in the caption of a picture he shared on Instagram. “Big thanks to the whole team!”
Piaseczno, Poland
To create the location for the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp portrayed in the film, the production team ventured to the quaint town of Piaseczno, situated just south of Warsaw. With its well-preserved historical architecture and expansive natural spaces, it became the perfect place to create the central set of the film. Piaseczno’s old buildings and cobblestone streets evoke a sense of timelessness, making it a believable stand-in for various locations depicted in the film. Situated in the Masovian Voivodeship, the town’s proximity to the filming hub of Warsaw played a part in its selection as a shooting destination, with easy access to the filming infrastructure and resources of the capital city.
Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki, Poland
The capital of Nowy Dwór County, Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki, became an important filming location for rounding out the backdrops seen in ‘The Champion.’ The production team traveled to Modlin, a historic village incorporated into Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki, to capture many of the interior sequences of the film. Located at the confluence of the Vistula, Narew, and Wkra rivers, Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki is home to the imposing Modlin Fortress, a historical site with a rich military past.
With Poland having served as a buffer between major European powers throughout much of its history, the fortress became a key defensive location initially built by Napoleon Bonaparte to serve as a backline in his Russian campaign. The location is open to the public and offers underground tours as well. The town has served as a backdrop to several World War II films, including ‘Pilecki’s Report,’ ‘Warsaw 44,’ ‘In Darkness,’ and ‘The Passing Bells.’
