You can trace the history of pawnbrokers or pawnshops back to Ancient China around three thousand years ago. In the West, the concept was adopted by the Ancient Greeks and Romans. They provide a simple yet invaluable service. A customer can get a secured loan against an item of personal property, which acts as collateral. If the owner doesn’t make good on this agreement, within the agreed timescales, then the item can be sold.
As standards of living have increased and access to banking has become widespread, these shops have begun to die out. Replaced by online sales and increasingly cheap consumer products. They still exist though and play a vital role for the poorest in the communities where they operate. Jola and Wiesiek run the largest pawn shop in southern Poland. The Pawnshop documents their financial and relationship troubles, along with a lively bunch of staff and customers who pass through their doors.
The Pawnshop is a darkly humorous documentary which playfully tackles a serious subject. Whilst levity is the flavour of the day, there’s an important underlying message. Wiesiek’s liquidity is no laughing matter and while they struggle to survive it’s the most vulnerable in society who will suffer the most from their absence. Łukasz Kowalski’s documentary is a lively portrait of a couple of colourful characters and the various waifs and strays who work in or patronise their establishment.
The Pawnshop screens at CPH:DOX.
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