One of the artist’s best-known works, in which he first employed the ‘theory-practice of the false document’, is the triptych HalfAWoman, made between 2000 and 2008. It depicts the daily life of Joan, who suffers from a rare condition called Pelvis Degeneration Syndrome (PDS), which causes half of her body to wither away. The camera captures the dark and bright sides of the life of a disabled woman at peace with her own imperfection. In HalfAWoman 2 (2005) and the final part of the triptych HalfAWoman . . .  Three Years Later (2008), Malinowski ‘documents’ the transformation of the title character’s personality — from a flirtatious, cheerful middle-aged woman to a subdued and depressed resident of a nursing home. The long period of work on the film triptych allows us to observe the progressive ageing of the protagonist. This ‘unorthodox portrait’ of a person struggling with illness is not devoid of humour, which comes not only from Joan’s psychological make-up, her statements and the situations presented, but also from the way in which the story is told, with the aim of maximising the credibility of the film’s narrative. Supported by thorough research, it ventures into the forbidden territory reserved for ‘orthodox’ documentaries.

script, directing, camera, editing, set design: Jacek Malinowski, actors: Joan Fitzsimmons, Jacek Malinowski (voice), producer: Jacek Malinowski, collaboration: Mateusz Adamczyk (sound)