A chronological journey through Polish cinematography after 1989. A look at changes in presenting the Holocaust and Poles as witnesses of the Holocaust.

THURSDAY, MAY 9th

6 PM
The Decalogue – VIII

An interpretation ofthe commandment "You shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor", the eighth in a series of films by Krzysztof Kieślowski. Forty years after the war two women meet: Zofia, a an ethics professorand Elizabeth, the translator of the Sophie’s writings. Sophie is forced to confront the past and again answer the question why she didn’t  agree to hide the Jewish six year old Elizabeth.

English subtitles.

8 PM
Jeszcze tylko ten las (Just Beyond That Forest)
Kulgawcowa, a washer-woman,decides to help Rutka, the daughter of a former employer, escape the ghetto. On the way to the safe house, she and the young Jewish girl meet a German Jewish who accidentally discovers the identity of the girl. Kulgawcowa makes a hard decision.

FRIDAY, MAY 10th

6 PM
Farewell to Maria
A moviebased on themes from a story byTadeusz Borowski with music by famous Polish musician, Tomasz Stańko. Farewell to Maria received many awards at the Polish Film Festival in Gdańsk in 1993, including one for directorial debut.

The German occupation. Tadeusz releases the young Jewish girl Sarah from the hands of Cieślik,  a policeman who is blackmailing her. Soon all three of them meet again at the wedding. Cieślik continues to harass the girl, threatening to give her up to the Germans, if she does not agree to be his mistress.

English subtitles.

8 PM
Holy  Week

A screen adaptation of a storyby Jerzy Andrzejewski. Occupied Warsaw. Jan Małecki meets his pre-war sweetheart Irena, an assimilated Jew. Despite fear of the neighbors, he decideds to hide the woman in his home. Soon the ghetto uprising breaks out.

SATURDAY, MAY 11th

6 PM
Keep Away from the Window
A film basedon themes from Hanna Krall's reportage "The one fromHamburg" ("Ta z Hamburga"). A young Jewish woman, Regina, ends up in the apartment of Jan and Barbara, a childless married couple. After some time, she becomes pregnant with John. Barbara agrees to continue hiding the woman on the condition that she will give her their baby. The main roles are played by Dorota Landowska and Dominika Ostałowska.

English subtitles.

A panel discussion after the screening:

8 PM
Summary of thePolish Holocaust Cinema Review

Panelists:

• Dr. Iwona Kurz – Polish Culture Institute, Warsaw University
• Dr. Joanna Preizner – Political Science and Communication Faculty, Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Academy in Kraków
• Dr. Bartosz Kwieciński – Center for Holocaust Studies, Jagiellonian University

Moderator: Jacek Rakowiecki