Bath Film Festival 2007

Ashes and Diamonds (Popiól i diament)

A multi-award winning film which signalled the renaissance of Polish cinema, this is the third in a trilogy portraying life in occupied Poland and remains to this day one of the finest achievements of Eastern European cinema. Maciek (Cybulski) is a young soldier ordered to kill a communist party official, his bungled first attempt and chance meeting with a girl in a hotel make him feel that his lifestyle is meaningless and he becomes uncertain in the face of his lost cause. He is however compelled to pursue his prey and the final scene is reminiscent of Bunuel who was an influence on the director. Cybulski imparts a unique sensibility, a youthful frustration which reflects Poland’s turbulent history, as a result of which he was often described as the “Polish James Dean”. Beautifully photographed in black and white this film is a fine example of Wadja’s unique vision inspired by Neo-realism and Expressionism.

Sponsors and Supporters

Submit your comments

Required fields are marked with *.

Name:
Email:
Subject:
Comment: *

Security Code: