In the whirlwind of Brat Summer, when Charli xcx’s album “Brat” ignited a cultural phenomenon and clinched three Grammy Awards, the pop icon carved out ten days to shoot her first lead role in “Erupcja” in Warsaw, Poland. Directed by Pete Ohs, the film captures Charli in a transitional phase, stepping into acting with a fearless spirit of experimentation. “I met her just before ‘Brat’ dropped,” Ohs recalls. “She sensed something big was coming, but no one could’ve predicted the magnitude. Even then, she was eager to explore acting.” Starring alongside Lena Góra, with Jeremy O. Harris and Agata Trzebuchowska rounding out the cast, Charli plays Bethany, a woman whose trip to Warsaw with her boyfriend Rob (Will Madden) takes an unexpected turn when a volcanic eruption strands them, prompting her to flee with an old friend, Nel (Góra), instead of facing Rob’s marriage proposal.
The decision to film in Poland was a draw for Charli, whose global fame was skyrocketing. “If I’d pitched shooting in L.A., it wouldn’t have been as compelling amid her career’s peak,” Ohs explains. “That she took time off to come to Poland is wild but speaks to her adventurous spirit.” The production, lean and nimble with a crew of just three or four, blended into Warsaw’s vibrant streets. Ohs, looking like a tourist with a camera, captured the city’s colorful, green allure, challenging the outdated American perception of Poland as a gray, World War II relic. “Warsaw is more romantic than Paris,” his characters declare, a sentiment that sparked jokes about the Polish tourism board’s delight.
Ohs, an Ohio native with a deep affinity for Poland, was inspired to make “Erupcja” after years of connection to the country, sparked by the American Film Festival and its artistic director, Ula Śniegowska. “She kept nudging me to make a film there, suggesting an ‘impossible love’ story,” he says. That seed, planted years earlier, bloomed when Ohs moved to Poland, driven by a personal romance that fueled his appreciation for the country’s warmth and beauty. “My ex-partner’s love for Poland made me almost jealous,” he admits. “In America, patriotism can feel fraught, but her pride was inspiring.” This affection infuses the film, which paints Warsaw as a vivid, romantic backdrop, far from the monochrome stereotypes.
The filmmaking process mirrored the spontaneity of the 1960s French New Wave, with Ohs drawing from films like “Jules and Jim” by incorporating a narrator and embracing a loose, exploratory style. “It’s not pure improv, but the rule is to always say yes,” he explains, a method honed across his last five films, including “Jethica” and “The True Beauty of Being Bitten by a Tick.” Dialogue was often written the night before or even an hour before shooting, allowing scenes to evolve organically. “This creates a special texture,” Ohs says. “When it’s unclear what characters are doing, it reflects the elusive nature of magical relationships.” For Charli, new to acting, this low-stakes, playful approach was ideal, aligning with her desire to grow through risk-taking.
Despite her fame, Charli’s presence in Warsaw didn’t disrupt the shoot. In one restaurant scene, locals waited patiently until Ohs called “We got it,” then lined up for photos with her. “The city was so accommodating,” he marvels. The small crew’s guerrilla style—eschewing lights, trucks, or heavy equipment—allowed them to move unnoticed, even with a superstar in tow. Yet, Charli’s celebrity elevates “Erupcja” to Ohs’ most anticipated project, distributed by Magnify. “People wanted in before seeing it, just because of Charli,” he notes. “She’s one of the most famous people in culture right now.”
Ohs’ unconventional approach, refined through collaborations like one with Jeremy O. Harris, resonates with artists seeking creative freedom. “The ‘normal’ way of making films can feel draining, disconnected from why people started creating,” he says. “I offer a light, fun process that refills their creative well.” For Charli, “Erupcja” was a chance to stretch her talents in a new medium, undeterred by a world tour looming in September. When Ohs checked her website, doubting she’d commit amid her meteoric rise, she confirmed, “I’ll be there.” That she followed through, filming in Poland’s romantic streets during her career’s zenith, underscores her boldness and the film’s unique place in her journey.
“Erupcja” blends Ohs’ love for Poland’s vibrant culture with Charli’s transformative moment, capturing a story of impossible love against a backdrop that feels alive and unpredictable. The film’s spontaneity, paired with its starry lead, promises a fresh take on a classic narrative, proving that even in the chaos of Brat Summer, Charli xcx found space to drive toward new horizons—straight to the airport, and into the heart of Warsaw’s cinematic magic.
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