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FREEDOM IS WITHIN US. POPIELUSZKO

By Rafał WIECZYNSKI

KINO SWIAT - as DISTR

Historical - Completed 2009

(1.300.000 viewers) Life and murder of father Popieluszko the spiritual leader of Solidarity movement. The historical background is the formation of the great trade union which filled Poles of 80' with a sense of their dignity, followed by attempts to destroy it with martial law.

- Year of production
- 2009
- Genres
- Historical
- Countries
- POLAND
- Languages
- POLISH
- Budget
- 3 - 5 M$
- Duration
- 149 mn
- Director(s)
- Rafał WIECZYNSKI
- Writer(s)
- Rafał WIECZYNSKI
- Cast
- Adam WORONOWICZ, Joanna SZCZEPKOWSKA, Zbigniew ZAMACHOWSKI, Radosław PAZURA
- ISAN
- 0000-0003-0D4B-0000-C-0000-0000-1
- EIDR
- 10.5240/D6BC-A2B3-4C11-56AB-CC6F-F
- Producer(s)
- Julita ŚWIERCZ WIECZYNSKA (Focus Producers Sp. z o.o. ), Co-Producer Lech JAWORSKI (Max Film S.A.), Film Co-Financed BY (Polish Film Institute and), MAZOWIECKIE (Voivodeship)
- Synopsis
- Georg Popiełuszko is an ordinary young priest, with dynamic personality and great sense of humor. He is also not free from usual human weaknesses. By accident, he is sent to strikers in the Warsaw Steelworks (1980). In consequence, he is associated with workers and trade unionists from the Solidarity movement, who oppose the communist regime in Poland.
  On 13 december 1981, Martial Law is introduced in Poland. Tanks are present in Warsaw streets and steelworkers’ strike in is brutally suppressed. Dramatic situation develops, supressing ordinary people. Father George recognizes the feeling of hate in his heart. He fights it by total devotion to helping the victims. Father George can excellently express people’s feelings in his sermons. He gets respect and admiration but also envy and hate. His presence at political trials of laborers attracts the attention of communist secret service agents.
  Father Popieluszko becomes famous throughout Poland when he draws crowds of thousands to his church. A few attempts of intimidation by communist secret service – especially one, when the bomb is thrown – cause spontaneous forming of voluntary church guard. Father George comes now to understanding what his role is and how much power and responsibility lies in his hands. He accepts the number of invitations from all over the country and preaches against the lie of communists. He also realizes, that some secret service agents are among people in his nearest vicinity. He is afraid; he desires to be alive, after all. Some close acquaintances suggest him to “fly” abroad.
  Father George slowly prepares his relatives and friends to his death. On one of his trips he is kidnapped, tormented and murdered. The news about his death result in the nationwide retreat. Hundreds of thousands of Poles come to his funeral and from this time they are not afraid to demand the truth..