Polish Institute in New Delhi in collaboration with the Bhowanipore Film Society, Calcutta, organised a film screening of two Polish films, “In Darkness” and “Spoor” on 8th & 9th May 2024. The inaugural function took place in Nandan, one of the most reputed auditorium in Kolkata. It started with speeches of representatives, then Dr. Tatiana Szurlej addressed the audience with lecture on Polish cinema with focus on director and screenwriter Agnieszka Holland.

Special thanks for Dr Tatiana Szurlej ( University of Delhi ), Arnab Saha ( The Bhowanipore Film Society Calcutta ), Sramana Ray ( The Telegraph ) and Tapas Roy ( Film Critic ) to take part in the programme.

“In Darkness” ( directed by Agnieszka Holland, 2011 ) tells a story of Leopold Socha, a sewer worker in Nazi-occupied Lvov, Poland. When he finds a group of Jews hiding in the sewers, Leopold agrees to protect them from the Nazis in exchange for money, even though it could mean his death if they are found. Though he is solely motivated by cash at first, their experiences lead Leopold to adopt a different view of the people under his protection. When catastrophe strikes, Leopold is forced into a final act of courage.
“Spoor” ( directed by Agnieszka Holland and Katarzyna Adamik, 2017 ) is a film based on a novel “Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead” by Polish Nobel Prize winner, Olga Tokarczuk. It tells a story of Janina Duszejko, an elderly woman, who lives alone in the Klodzko Valley where a series of mysterious crimes are committed. Duszejko is convinced that she knows who or what is the murderer, but nobody believes her.