Rebirth of a Champion

2006, 20 min.

Rebirth of a Champion (2006)

Production

Director Peter Silverman
Screenplay Peter Silverman, Mike Cersosimo, Michal Pietrzak
Music Jan Pietrzak, Andrzej Rosiewicz
Cast
as Herself Anna Wlodarczyk
Story

Anna Wlodarczyk is a coach and physical education instructor at Chapman University. Few of her students or colleagues understand the amazing journey that she has had over the past 40 years competing at the highest levels as a Track and Field athlete for her native Poland. In the film, Anna recounts high points such as winning the 1980 Indoor European Championships, brushes with glory such finishing 4th at the 1980 Olympics, and low points such as missing the 1984 Olympics due to the boycott by Poland and other Eastern Bloc countries.

Throughout the film, we see how the politics of the Cold War, the solidarity movement, and economic conditions challenged Anna. Ultimately, we learn how Anna overcame these obstacles and created a new life for herself in California.