Kanał (1957)

But we will be hailed by the future generations

On the 1^st of September, 1939 the Nazi Germany attacked Poland. Despite the heroic resistance, Poland was overrun. The occupation of Poland meant five years of pain and suffering for the Poles. By the end of 1944, the Nazis were beaten on all fronts and at the same time the Warsaw Uprising took place.

In 1957, Andrzej Wajda got a chance to picture the Warsaw Uprising and he took his chance. The film starts on the last days of the Uprising – the 25^th of September, 1944. Lieutenant Zadra leads a unit of the Home Army, who are trying to escape Warsaw through the sewers.

There are lots of stereotypes about the Poles – that they are slow, that they are don’t love anyone, that they cannot unite, that they are only good as a source of cheap labor. In 1938, Poland annexes Zaolzie and was branded the European Jackal.

In the next year, Poland paid the price, but the war showed the heroic side of the Poles. Andrzej Wajda started the film on purpose at the end of Uprising, when the Home Army was almost wiped out and the remaining soldiers are trying to escape Warsaw.

Andrzej Wajda gives unique traits to all characters, among them there are romantics, cynics, clever, silly, honest and liars, but all of them have one aim – to show their bravery to the world and enemy. The sewers give the only chance to escape.

Andrzej Wajda portrays the sewers as a metaphor for the death, which will soon come to almost all soldiers in the Uprising. The sewers are a labyrinth, equipped by lots of traps and false exits. But, despite that, the group is trying to escape.

Even in the Hell – labyrinth, the people have not lost the ability to love and be loved. Even war-hardened people could lose the will to live because of the unrequited love or will try to carry a heavily-injured lover to the exit.

The Warsaw Uprising is portrayed as disorganized, unnecessary and politically motivated. But for the soldiers, the Uprising was a chance to show the bravery of the Poles and even the Nazis admitted it. Andrzej Wajda made his film about the soldiers, who won by their bravery the place in the History.

Despite the critics opinion the late films of Andrzej Wajda were not so good (I cannot express my opinion, because I haven’t seen them), but only this film is enough to remember the late Director. And you should not forget, that Andrzej Wajda helped a lot young and talented filmmakers, including my favorite Andrzej Zulawski.

During the Second World War, there were not so heroic nations and there were unexpectedly brave nations. Among the last, there are also the Poles and the Greeks. Let’s forget politics and remember the bravery of the Poles.

I recommend to watch it along with Pokolenie and Popiól i diament.

Psy (1992)

Za chleb i wolność, i nową Polskę Janek Wiśniewski padł

About two months ago, I have written a joint review on «Man of Marble» and «Man of Iron» and richteur gave some valuable insights in his commentaries. After that, I have decided to read his blog and I was impressed by his review of Psy. Because of that, I have decided to watch this example of the Polish cinema of the 1990s.

Former officers of the SB (Polish secret police), including Franciszek Maurer (Franz), are trying to become police officers in the post-socialistic Poland. They are destroying incriminating evidence, they are reevaluated by the Special Comission. Some, including Franz, are lucky and they join the Criminal Police; some are not so lucky and they join the criminals.

The last verse of the famous poem Ballada o Janku Wiśniewskim (by Krzysztof Dowgiałło) includes such verse: « Za chleb i wolność, i nową Polskę Janek Wiśniewski padł».In 1989, Poland was new, the Poles got the freedom (or at least the illusion of freedom), but the bread became scarce. In the same time, the Polish directors got the chance to shoot film on the forbidden themes.

The Director portrayed the birth of new Poland and he had chosen the most despicable characters – ex-SB officers. The former elite are thrown into the Criminal Police, where they are treated as third-class people. Despite that, the history teaches us that most of the times soldiers are punished, but they masters are spared. The masters are spared because they are able to destroy documents or cut a deal with new masters.

The Director depicts ex-SB officers as ordinary people. Among them there are good and bad, brave and weak. Most of them, along with the Poles, are trying to make ends meet, but the former government taught them the only thing – to kill. The new Poland declares that they don’t need the professional killers, but the other side is ready to employ their talents.

«Psy» shows the general disappointment in the new ruling class. The film shows the beginning of corruption, the morphing of politicians and criminals. When Franz begins to harass seriously criminals, he is quickly dismissed from the police because of his past.

The new Poland is not suited for «Man of Marble» or «Man of Iron», the new Poland suited for unscrupulous murderers and thieves. And in 1989, Ballada o Janku Wiśniewskim is sang by the drunken ex-SB officers, because nobody cares about the fallen heroes.

The Polish cinema have again pleasantly surprised me. Władysław Pasikowski took the form of the American action film and included a very fresh and clever drama. The Russians would also understand this film.

I highly recommend it, it is better than  most of the so-called «Russian noir» of the 1990s.

Man of Marble, Man of Iron (1976, 1981)

The new Poland is born here

If Andrzej Wajda was born in the USSR, his fate would not be so good. I think that, if Andrzej Wajda was a Soviet film director, his films would be banned by the Soviet authorities until the 1980s. Andrzej Wajda was always interested in the history of his homeland, and his vision almost always was not too ideologically correct.

Even in 1958, in Ashes and Diamonds Andrzej Wajda showed a Home Army soldier Maciek as a positive hero. In 1976, Andrzej Wajda showed it’s past to the forgetful Polish audience and authorities. Finally, in 1981, Andrzej Wajda showed the birth of post-socialistic world. I think that it would be suitable to analyze «Man of Marble» and «Man of Iron» together.

«Man of Marble» depicts the relatively free Poland of the 1970s. A young cinema school graduate Agnieszka chooses an unusual subject for her graduation project – a documentary film about a bricklayer Mateusz Birkut, who was once a hero. The film school authorities are rather skeptical, but anyway they give the green light to Agnieszka. Agnieszka starts her research, but this proves to be a tough task, because Mateusz Birkut is almost completely cut from the history.

As I have written before, «Man of Marble» was shot in 1976. Back then, the official history portrayed the 1950s repressions as a result of actions of the authorities and certain apparatchiks. Besides that, that period of history was officially forgotten. Of course, a lot of repressed people were freed. But no one couldn’t bring back to them the health and heal the soul pain.

While Agnieszka researches the material, she dugs deeper and deeper in the Polish history of the 1940-1950s. During the first postwar years, Mateusz Birkut is just one of the illiterate young workers, who were sent to the great building sites of the new Poland.

When an ambitious young film director and authorities decided to make Mateusz a hero for their own advancement, the life of Mateusz Birkut suddenly changes. Mateusz Birkut becomes a hero, his portrait hangs with other record-breaking workers, he is received by the highest authorities and he marries a beautiful young athlete.

Mateusz Birkut symbolizes the working class of Poland – hardworking and honest people, who are willing to work hard for their homeland. Despite the declaration that the power was passed to the working class; in reality the power was passed from the bourgeois exploiters to the apparatchiks. As bourgeois, apparatchiks view Mateusz Birkut and others as merely an instrument to advance their goals.

Mateusz Birkut sincerely believes in a new ideology and is willing to help his comrades. When he tries to help his arrested friend and cross the path with apparatchiks his fate suddenly changes. Mateusz Birkut is arrested and declared an enemy of state. In the mid-1950s, he is released and rehabilitated. Mateusz Birkut is drawn back in the politics as a symbol of post-totalitarian Poland, but he just merely wants to gain back his life. It is impossible, because Mateusz’s wife has left him and he is cut out from the history.

Agnieszka was brought up in a different Poland (quoting Jean-Luc Godard: «The Children of Marx and Coca-Cola»), but she encounters the prevailing double think. Even the coworkers of Mateusz Birkut have cut out the memory about him. And when Agnieszka almost touches the truth about Mateusz Birkut, the state intervenes – the film is cancelled and Agnieszka is dismissed on the spot.

In «Man of Iron» Andrzej Wajda depicts the events of 1980 – the famous Gdańsk Shipyard strike. Almost everyone thinks that the strike is doomed for a bloody reprisal as previous strikes. Editor Winkel is ordered by the deputy chairman of Radio Committee to achieve coverage compromising the activists…

The activists of the Red May (Paris 1968) were described by the communists as a petit bourgeoisie, who would drop their radical thinking, when it would be their turn to run a family firm and exploit the workers. But in 1980, in Poland, the workers were the main string force – the people who had neither the money, neither the protection from the possible ruthless official actions.

Andrzej Wajda makes the son of  Mateusz Birkut -  Maciej Tomczyk as one of the main heroes. As father, Maciej Tomczyk is brave, honest, incorruptible and decisive. Along with real Lech Wałęsa and Anna Walentynowicz, Maciej Tomczyk starts the strike.

If in «Man of Marble» Andrzej Wajda depicts the relatively free Poland of the 1970s, in «Man of Iron» Poland is depicted as a lost and torn country. Tonight Poland is rioting, but tomorrow its streets could be painted with blood. The society is frightened, but it slowly starts transformation. The transformation is not limited to the workers, but touches even the relatively high class – the mass media.

Andrzej Wajda shows though Winkel the transformation of intelligentsia. Winkel is a drunken loser, who has not got anything in common with rioting bydlo. He eagerly starts to write a compromising coverage. But as he starts digging deeper into the roots of the strike, he begins to feel the common with strikers.

The director portrays the ruthless struggle between workers, who got nothing to lose, and elite, who are desperately clinging to their power and privileges. Solidarność has got only two options – to win or die. The government has army and police, the workers has slogans and moral authority.

Another link between «Man of Marble» and «Man of Iron» is Agnieszka. Andrzej Wajda portrays her spiritual transformation – in the first film she is a hysterical film student, who just want to piss off the authorities; the second film shows her as a devoted reformist and loyal wife of Maciej Tomczyk.

There a lot of anecdotes and stories about near-sightedness, cowardice, stupidity and divisions of the Poles. You could just remember the XVIII century partition of Poland, the war between Home Army and Armia Ludowa. Andrzej Wajda knew those stories, but he thought that there were some Poles who could lead the people to the brighter future.

Maciej Tomczyk is shown as one of those Poles. Because of him and others, the striking people achieved the impossible – the recognition from the Party officials. Despite that, the director is not optimistic – today’s victory could be followed by bloody tomorrow.

This victory is without parades, hymns and fireworks. But a bunch of people have changed the world. Tomorrow they could be executed, but tonight they have drawn the attention of the world and have written their names in History. They showed that no state is all-powerful. The state wanted Men of Marble in order to break them easier, but finally they got Men of Iron, who couldn’t be broken too easily.

In his dilogy, Andrzej Wajda gave the mirror to the Poles and made them watch. Andrzej Wajda thought that you shouldn’t lie or forget about the past or ignore the present. Instead of that, let’s watch this films together.

Panna Nikt

Panna Nikt

In 1996, Andrzej Zulawski shot his «film without mask» - Szamanka. The same year, Andrzej Wajda shot his own film on the post-socialist Poland – Panna Nikt. The critic consensus always was that Andrzej Wajda was a master of the political, historical and societal films. But it is not entirely true, even judging by my limited acquaintance with the Wajda’s films. Not counting Panna Nikt, I have seen six films of Andrzej Wajda. Among them, there is a sarcastic comedy about a loser (Polowanie na muchy) and his own «8 ½» (Wszystko na sprzedaz).

Of course, the choice of a seventy-year old (back than) director is rather surprising – a teenage drama. This genre has known failures by young filmmakers, what can seventy-year old man shoot about the youth?

The early post-socialist history of Poland and Russia knows many similarities. You could merely name the nouveau riche culture, the economic shock therapy and the fast breaking of the old societal norms and customs. During the Socialism the major advantage was power, during the Capitalism the advantage shifted from power to money. Of course, the cities were the most affected by this and the villages were more conservative.

Andrzej Wajda showed this shift in the history of a 15-year girl called Marysia, who moved with her family from the village to the city. In the beginning of the film, Marysia symbolizes the Catholic and Conservative Poland. After moving to the city, Marysia starts associating herself with new Poland. The first act of her transformation deals with her haircut. If in the beginning she has traditional long hairs, in the city she changes it to a short haircut.

Any revolutionary changes are characterized not by merely economic and political changes, but also by conformity of old-timers. Andrej Wajda portrays this change in a teenage group. Marysia wants to morph in the new society and even abandons her name and adopts her new nicknames – Minka and Maika.

The new era is symbolized by new morals (or in some cases – the lack of it) and imaginary mixing of different classes. Marysia is fascinated by financial independence of her new girlfriends; she becomes an ardent pupil in permissiveness. She even thinks that she is truly accepted by the nouveau riche circles. Nevertheless, she forgets an old lessons – the rich could temporarily embrace the poor, but they will treat the late as an equal.

The 1990s got a profound impact on the Eastern European cinema. After getting the freedom, a majority of directors began shooting films about crime and sex. But there are some exceptions. Andrzej Wajda was no longer obliged to shoot film with hidden messages (quoting Andrzej Zulawski: «the films with masks») and he made a portrait of new Poland. He showed the teenagers, because one day they will become rulers.

The seventy year old filmmaker did something, which is not possible for some twenty year old man. Andrzej Wajda portrayed the real teenage relationship, without exaggerating or softening. Everyone would see themselves or some friends in Marysia, Kasia and Ewa. I recommend to watch this film to anyone, who was born in the 1980-1990s.

Sadly, the thought of Wajda that «no, the ashes does not hold the glory of a starlike diamond» is still quite truthful.

Przypadek

Every generation yearns for light. It needs reassurance and faith…

Every man encountered events, dictated by the pure blind chance. This chance could be positive, e.g. you got drunk and were late for the plane and because of that you missed the crash; or you have went to some unplanned event and encountered an interesting man. But you must not forget the negative chances, e.g. you have said not-so-important (in your opinion) word or committed not-so-important (in your opinion) action and the cost of these is the relationship with a very dear friend or some other close man.

In 1981, Krzysztof Kieslowski made a film about how one event could influence the life of one single man. After the death of father, a young medical student Witek takes an academic gap and goes to Warsaw. The life of Witek is dependent on one event – will he catch the train to Warsaw?

The film deals with the questions of freedom, personal choice, happiness and fate. In the beginning, Witek follows the wishes of the father and studies medicine. But, before his death, the father tells Witek that he is free to choose his own path. For the first time, Witek grabs the real freedom of choice.

The political path is presented in the first two variants of Witek’s life. In the first variant, Witek joins the Polish Communist Party; the second variant deals with Witek’s life in the Opposition and his embrace of the Catholic faith as a way to gain the meaning of life. At first glance, Witek gains a success in politics, but in reality he loses the freedom, personal choice and happiness. Witek the politician becomes an instrument in the hands of others.

Krzysztof Kieslowski showed us old Communists, who were arrested in the early 1950s, but who continued to advance the Party’s case. One Communist, who inspired Witek to join the Party, left prison as a morally and physically crippled person. He is merely lecturing in the University and tries to distance himself from the political life. Another Communist – Witek’s boss, - understands the crisis of Socialism, but continues formal embrace of the ideology in order to use his experience for future reforms.

The Director shows the Opposition as a bunch of idealistic young people, who could get arrested at any time. The Director treats with the same skepticism the formal embrace of religion, which is practiced by lots of people. Do not think that Krzysztof Kieslowski was an anti-clerical man, he is merely critiquing the formal embrace of religion. The future history of Poland vindicates the views of Krzysztof Kieslowski.

In addition to the questions of freedom, personal choice, happiness and fate, the Director depicts the influence of the past. In the film the past is symbolized in two girls, whom Witek previously encountered. In the first variant this girl is Czuszka; in the second variant the girl is Werka. Witek tries to gain them back but there is an old and banal saying that you cannot bring back the past. The Director agrees with this saying.

In all three variants Paris is depicted as a mean to escape the current. In this case, the Director decides «to play the God» (plagiarizing the interview of Krzysztof Kieslowski on the Three Colors) as a fate and does not allow Witek to escape. In some cases he is merciful, in another cases he is cruel.

The Director thinks that the only way to gain personal happiness is to forger the past and stay out of politics. In the third variant of Witek’s life, he decides not to go to Warsaw, finishes the medical school and marries his school mate. Witek the Doctor, in comparison to Witek the Communist and Witek the member of Opposition, abstains from politics. Only in this variant, Witek gains the personal and professional freedom.

Krzysztof Kieslowski portrayed the Polish society of the early 1980s and the history of one young Polish man. I think that after watching the scene of catching the train, everyone would remember his own «trains». As I said before, the films of Krzysztof Kieślowski have one unique trait – they are universal.

I ask you again, let’s join and watch the films of this great master, who, unfortunately passed away too young.

Bez konca

In which Poland?

In the mid-1980s, Krzysztof Kieślowski taught a directing class in West Germany. One day, a young German started to explain his political beliefs. Back then, the radical left groups, as RAF, were popular in the West and a young German was no exception to this. While listening, Krzysztof Kieślowski was smiling politely, but in his eyes were: «Fool, you live in a normal country!». Then the Director said the following: «Andreas, the politics is a dirty business. My only concern, only if there is enough toilet paper in the toilets».

Krzysztof Kieślowski was apolitical in his life and art. He never made politically charged cinema, never belonged to any political parties, clubs or movements. He shot films not for the sake of politics, but for the sake of people, or rather what unites them. That is why, in the socialistic Poland the Director was bullied by Communists and Opposition.

In 1984, at the first glance, Krzysztof Kieślowski changed his art model, by making a political film. If you dug deeper, behind the façade of a story about the death of a young and brave lawyer, who defended a political prisoner, lays a completely different story.

In «Bez konca», Krzysztof Kieślowski portrayed the Polish society during the rule of Wojciech Witold Jaruzelski. The Polish society portrayed as lost, disappointed and utterly pessimistic. The members of Solidarity portrayed as a crushed idealists, who are desperately trying neither to survive, neither to show the last case of obstruction. In this crushed country a tragedy of a widow starts out. She sees the shadows of her husband everywhere and nothing can help her to forget the past and continue life.

As in «Three colors: Blue», Krzysztof Kieślowski examines the question of personal, not political liberty though the history a widow. In these films, the Director asks us the following questions: can someone abandon the past and continue to live? Can suicide be interpreted as a choice of a free man and a way to escape the unbearable situation?

The other part of the film deals with a trial of a young factory worker, charged with organizing a strike. In this part steps out another important character – an old defense attorney Labrador, who takes the case after the death of Antek. The Director channels his thoughts through Labrador – if you didn’t choose death by facing the tanks during the introduction of the martial law, why are you trying to get executed now? Is it worth to fight for the sake of the crashed rebellion?

Almost every character is trying to build his imaginary life in Poland and to escape not-so-good reality. But if you try to escape reality though fantasy, the life would viciously attack you. Of course, if you read history, you would find a case to reproach the Director for extreme pessimism. But before doing that, check the release date and forgive the late Krzysztof Kieślowski. In 1984, no one couldn’t anticipate the crush of the Iron Curtain.

Before the late 1980s, Krzysztof Kieślowski was not too appreciated by snobbish western critics. His films were not accepted to the international film festivals, the Director was in a shadow of a more acclaimed Poles (as Andrzej Waida). Despite all of that snobbery, the films of Krzysztof Kieślowski have one unique trait – they are universal. Their universality means that the stories of those films are understandable for everyone. We can associate ourselves with heroes of his Polish and French films. And you can’t say the same about some films of more famous Poles.

After the success of Decalogue, the snobbish critics began their collective praise of Krzysztof Kieślowski. Let’s join them and watch the film of this great master, who, unfortunately passed away too soon.

Popiól i diament

I do not want to kill anymore, I want to live

Andrzej Wajda died on the 9th of October, 2016. Frankly speaking, I have seen only three Wajda films: Danton, Wszystko na sprzedaż and Pokolenie. The first film I have enjoyed very much, the second film I have seen when I was not mature enough and the third one was a disappointment even for the Director himself. After hearing the news of Andrzej Wajda’s death, I have decided to fill this gap in my education.

On the 8^th of May, 1945, the Nazi Germany has surrendered to the Allies and the War in Europe was finished. On the same day, the two soldiers of Armia Krajowa (Maciek and Andrzej) got an order to assassinate the communist Commissar Szczuka. They mistakenly assassinate two factory workers and make their way back to Wroclaw…

Andrzej Wajda was always accused of shallowness. After the release of Człowiek z żelaza, Wajda’s films were banned in the USSR, the French critics considered Danton as a mere allegory of struggle between Lech Wałęsa and Wojciech Jaruzelski; a lot of the Russians considered Andrzej Wajda as a stereotypical Polish Russophobe. Also, in the Socialistic Poland Wajda was accused of neglecting the official ideology, but in the Post-Socialistic Poland Wajda was accused in the lack of patriotism.

Contrary to the popular belief, Andrzej Wajda, as in Bulgakov’s The White Guard (sadly, I have not read the original novel by Jerzy Andrzejewski) have shown the opponents as ordinary people. The Director shot the film about noble, about idealistic, about decadent, about schlep. At first glance, the spectator would think that the main hero (Maciek) is a brainless teddy boy, who kills people for fun.

After watching a little bit more, we discover the tragedy of a 24-year old idealist, the Polytechnic university dropout. Maciek’s life was ruined by the war. After losing his family, Maciek dropped the books, picked up a pistol and lost his human nature. Despite this, on the 8^th of May, when the nobles and the communists are celebrating together. Maciek fell in love with Christine and gained back his human nature. He wants to stop killing, but on the 9^th of May, Maciek is no longer a hero but a cursed soldier, who is ought to be killed.

Commissar Szczuka is depicted as a moral equal to Maciek. A fervent Communist, who started his career since the Spanish Civil War, Commissar Szczuka wants to build in Poland the Socialism with human face. The war took away his son, not in physical, but in ideological way. Right now Szczuka’s son is an enemy of the New Poland and his father is faced with a terrible choice – to stay a Communist or a human being.

The Director thinks, and the history proves his vision, that the future of Poland belongs not to idealistic and noble, but to schlep and careerist. The Director’s viewpoint is illustrated by the character of Drewnowski – opportunist, who tries to be on the both sides. The new ruling class of Poland is not on the battlefield, the new ruling class of Poland is siting and getting drunk in a fancy hotel. And at the same time, the prisons of Poland are filled with new enemies of state, who are only slapped, by this moment.

The 8^th of May will be ended and there will be a new day in Poland and the new war would start. A lot of people would be killed in order to change one dictatorship to another. In the new Poland, there will be no place for Maciek or Commissar Szczuka, their place would be filled by the numerous Drewnowskis. If you quote a poem by Cyprian Norwid (which was quoted in a film), no, the ashes does not hold the glory of a starlike diamond.

Ashes and Diamonds is considered by film critics to be one of the great masterpieces of Polish cinema Such phrases should be treated with skepticism, but this time you could agree with assessment. Popiół i diament is a film, which has not lost its actuality. Watch this film and if you feel something, than Andrzej Wajda has not wasted his life.

In memory of Andrzej Zulawski (Szamanka)

A film without masks

The American DVD edition of Szamanka includes an interview with late Andrzej Zulawski. In this interview, the Director said that a lot of films wear some so called «masks». The theme of «masks» is also present in the films of Andrzej Zulawski. As example, the Director said that Diabel was a result of his reflections on the idealistic Polish youth, who were tricked by the hardliners in the Polish Communistic party. Their protests were the reason for a 1968 conservative backlash in Poland. If you remember, Diabel shows the late XVIII century Poland – the moment when Poland lost its independence. The «mask» of Diabel was worn for political purposes, because Andrzej Zulawski shot this film in the Socialistic Poland.

In the same interview, Andrzej Zulawski said that he shot Szamanka as a film without masks. The Director wanted to shoot film, which depicts the situation in the Post-Socialistic Poland. Andrzej Zulawski  especially emphasized that he did not want to add neither commentaries, neither allegories.

Very talented blogger galina_guzhvina wrote a review on Mes nuits sont plus belles que vos jours. In this review, she made a very precise point – in order to illustrate his ideas, Andrzej Zulawski added a very French chic style to the film. In case of Szamanka, Andrzej Zulawski chose the model of La Femme Publique. If in La Femme Publique Andrzej Zulawski depicted «Paris of pimps, murderers and scum» (plagiarizing one Russian summary), than in Szamanka the Director depicted a poor and hungry Poland of the 1990s.

In the words of anthropology professor Michal: «Shamanism is one of the first religions of the human kind». If you open any encyclopedia, you will read that this religion is connected with animism, magic, totems and fetish. As in «On the Silver Globe», Andrzej Zulawski used the civilization methology of Toynbee. The Director depicted the birth of a new primitive civilization – Polish capitalistic civilization.

While I was reviewing La note bleue I made the point that this film could be characterized as an anti-biography. While I was watching Szamanka, I have decided that this film could be described as anti-erotica. Returning to Mes nuits sont plus belles que vos jours, you see in this film a lot of erotic scenes, but they are full of pain, love and beauty. Szamanka is also full of explicit scenes, but you cannot find any traces of tenderness, they remind you of animalistic copulation.

Andrzej Zulawski once said: «I believe that, with few exceptions, acting is a female occupation». Szamanka is no exception to this rule. In this film, La Femme Zulawskienne is Italian the Shaman. Italian is the archetypical Shaman who «attracts flies and people and brings death». Italian is full of primitive and primeval sexual energy. I also think that Zulawski wanted to show in Italian the new Polish man, which is cruel, ignorant and consuming.

In my opinion (I could be wrong) Andrzej Zulawski did not held favorable view towards any religion. The Catholic church is depicted as an inert force, which is desperately trying to take the place, which was previously occupied by the Communistic ideology. The brother of Michal (priest) is shown as a weak and lost man. The Director’s attitude towards priests is shown by one phrase: «If you don’t know what to do with your life, than become a priest».

In all of the films of the «Polish trilogy» (Trzecia czesc nocy, Diabel, Szamanka) Andrzej Zulawski used the theme of Apocalypse. In Szamanka, as in Diabel, the apocalyptic theme is depicted in a rather Absurdist manner. The Director shows the modern Poland, ruled by bandits and scum, who destroy their opponents with theatrical violence. While watching the violent scenes, you catch yourself on the thought, that they closely resemble the surrealistic nightmares.

In one interview, Andrzej Zulawski expressed his negative opinion towards the Polish Films of Moral Anxiety. His negative attitude towards this sub-genre was motivated by the fact that in his opinion the viewer knew and understood much more than was shown in the cinema by directors, who were bound by the communistic censure. The Director always said he doesn't make a concession to viewers, these victims of life. He thought, that the viewer should be hit with a baseball bat.

A lot of critics said that the Polish cinema died after 1989. Andrzej Zulawski disagreed with it, gave the mirror to the Polish people and made them watch. Despite the fact, that the Director was again accuses of all sins, the Polish people voted for Zulawski by money. Szamanka was one of the most popular Polish films of the 1990s and in some rural areas the priests physically blocked the entrance to the cinema.

Watch Szamanka and watch it again. Frankly speaking. I have understood this film only on the second attempt.