Growing up as a kid in Poland in 70s and 80s, everyone knew the cartoon characters: “Bolek i Lolek” and “Reksio”.
By today’s standards, those plain, family friendly, uplifting cartoons are bleak and unattractive. However, in a communist Poland, kids loved Reksio and played Bolek and Lolek games. Let’s now forget about Tola, the female friend of Bolek and Lolek. Both movies are forever imprinted in Polish history.
In fact, the movies were so popular at the time, they were distributed by many all over the world. Not surprisingly, “Bolek i Lolek” is known even in countries like Iran.
Reksio.
Today, Polish kids watch the “Sesame Street” and “Pokemon”. The old, hand drawn cartoons, lost their appeal but their creators are still around.
Just recently, the 86 years old animator who created “Reksio”, Marian Wantoła, was featured on Polish TVP show “Case for a reporter” (Sprawa dla reportera). Shockingly, the animator who spent 47 years at the studio since the age of 25, now lives in town of Bielsko-Biała in a run-down house without running water, gas, with mold and coal stove for heating. Being a honest, hard working guy in a communist Poland, pretty much put him in a state of poverty.
Polish vlogger, Krzysztof Gonciarz, who first reported on this disgrace, started a website to raise funds to help Marian Wantoła.
You can watch the video and check out the website at http://www.indiegogo.com/
Reksio
And some Bolek and Lolek.
Update: December 8th, 2012.
So far, the http://www.indiegogo.com/
First of all, the animator lives comfortably in his own apartment, paid off years ago. There is running water, no sign of mold, and working coal furnace. It might not be a Ritz, but the conditions are far from what it was reported by the media.
Second of all, just to make sure that everyone understands, Mr. Wantoła is not a creator of the famous “Reksio”. He’s the animator and never claimed to be a creator. Lechosław Marszałek is the true creator of “Reksio”.
Were people duped by the sad story to extort some money? It’s for you to decide.
