We are pleased to announce that PULARYS is an official sponsor

of the documentary film "THE COWBOY CAPITAL"!

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Why is Bandera, Texas so special?

A Polish traveller and book author with a passion for the United States, Artur Owczarski came across information about Bandera in the heart of the state of Texas during his research about Polish immigration to North America. Thus began his fascination with this small town. 

Bandera was founded in 1854 by the settlers from Poland. Among other things, it is known for its importance - it is the starting point of the Great Western Cattle Drive Trail. Among other things, it is known for its significance - it is the starting point of The Great Western Cattle Trail. This is where cowboys would gather with their herds of cows before making the long journey north to sell them at a greater profit, a fact which decades ago earned Bandera the title of "the cowboy capital".

 For almost a century now, it has been a destination for tourists who would like to travel back in time to the real Wild West and recreate the life of the Texas Rangers in the company of local residents. There is a saying among Bandera locals that "everyone has a bit of cowboy in them", and this is why they heartily welcome all those who dream of such an experience. 

Equipped with up-to-the-era costumes and weapon replicas, Bandera residents bring the past back to life.

For the Bandera people, however, being a cowboy goes far beyond mere historical reenactment. They still lead and love a rural life in the Texas countryside, alongside their horses and cattle. Filled with hard work during the week and fun on the weekends. At the same time, they are extremely proud of their Polish ancestry, which they emphasise and which they like to talk about. Thanks to the initiative of the descendants of the first settlers, their distant relatives were found in Poland and today the sister city of Bandera across the ocean is Strzelce Opolskie.

Documentary film "The Cowboy Capital"

With its interesting past and present, Bandera and the Banderians deserved to be filmed. That is why Artur Owczarski, together with local historian and descendant of the first Polish settlers Roy Dugosh and talented filmmaker and graduate of The Art Institute of San Antonio - Dakota Wortman, set out to capture the soul of the "Cowboy Capital of the World" (which was officially confirmed by the US Senate on May 3rd, 2018).

The result of the project is a touching documentary about nostalgia for the days of the Wild Westnarrated by the people of Bandera, who spin a tale of cowboy culture.A tale that tells you about the respect for the roots, the attachment to life in the Texas countryside and the preserved values that guide their lives to this day.

When we heard about the possibility of taking part in the promotion of a documentary about cowboys, we immediately thought that it was something that was in our DNA. After all, Stefan Chwiłowicz, founder of the company was a lancer in the Polish army!

The film launched on 20 July 2023 at one of America's most famous honky-tonk bars - the '11TH Street Cowboy Bar' in Bandera. The town's residents showed up in great numbers to watch themselves on the big screen and since then, smaller or larger screenings of the documentary have regularly taken place both in Bandera and in the surrounding towns. Both for locals and tourists.

Watch the trailer for "The Cowboy Capital"

See video from the premiere of "The Cowboy Capital"

On September 2-3, 2023, the film was screened at a festival that has been attracting tens of thousands of visitors for almost 50 years - the largest festival of the Polish American community "Taste of Polonia". The two screenings took place in a more than 100-year-old theatre capable of seating 1,900 people at the Copernicus Centre in Chicago.

Where to watch "The Cowboy Capital"

• WILD WEST Film Festival- 30/09 - 1/10/2023
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• WILD WEST Film Festival- 7-8/10/2023

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