RESOURCES
FEATURE FILMS
- Biały niedźwiedź, Jerzy Zarzycki, 1959, Polska, wojenny, psychologiczny,
Jewish intellectualist Henryk Fogiel, escaping from the transport to the concentration camp finds a shelter in Zakopane. After death of a young conspirator, Fogiel takes over his role and hides in the disguise of a white bear, with which tourists take photos. German officer, who discovers his identity finds in Henryk a companion in intellectual conversations. This saves Fogiel’s life. Unfortunately, because of misunderstanding the girl who was in love with him dies.
- Daleko od okna, Jan Jakub Kolski, 2000, Polska, dramat wojenny,
Free adaptation of Hanna Krall’s reportage “Ta z Hamburga”. Young marriage – Jan and Barbara cannot have children. A young Jewish girl brought by Jan – Regina is hidden by the marriage in the wardrobe. After some time, Regina becomes pregnant with Jan, what pushes Barbara to denounce her. Instead of this, the betrayed woman pretends that she is pregnant. Child is taken away from the real mother, who after the liberation goes abroad and looses the contact with her daughter.
- Długa noc, Janusz Nasfeter, 1967, Polska, wojenny,
A locksmith Korsak is hiding a Jew. He conceals that fact from his neighbours. As soon as they know the truth, they demand that Korsak and the Jew leave the house.
- Dzieci Ireny Sendlerowej, Harrison, John Kent, 2009, Stany Zjednoczone,
The film is based on a book “ Matka Dzieci Holocaustu” by Anna Mieszkowska. Irena Sendler cooperates with "Żegota" – The Council for Assistance to the Jews. She is engaged in smuggling children from the Warsaw ghetto.
- Hidden in Silence, Colla, Richard, 1996, Stany Zjednoczone,
A TV production based on a real story of Stefania Podgórska Burzmińska, who was sheltering thirteen Jews in Przemyśl. After the war she married Maks, one of the survivors.
- Historia Kowalskich, Arkadiusz Gołębiowski i Maciej Pawlicki, 2009, Polska, dokumentalny,
The film tells the story of the Kowalskis, who lived in Ciepielewo close to Radom. The whole family was murdered in 1942 for giving shelter to their Jewish neighbours.
- Jeszcze tylko ten las, Jan Łomnicki, 1991, Polska, wojenny,
Before the war Kulgawcowa worked as a laundress for the doctor’s wife. During the war she receives from her former employer some money for taking her daughter out of the ghetto. A laundress has mixed attitude towards Jews, on the one hand she despises them, on the other hand she sympathize with Rutka. Nearly reaching their destination, they happen to meet a German soldier, who discovers girl’s identity. A women decides to cost in her lot with Rutka.
- Naganiacz, Ewa i Czesław Petelscy, 1963, Polska, wojenny,
A movie based on a script written by Roman Bratny. In winter of 1945 a former participant of Warsaw Uprising is hiding Hungarian Jews. Unfortunately they are found and shot dead by the nazists. The sole survivior escapes from Michał, suspecting him of betrayal.
- Nie było słońca tej wiosny, Juliusz Janicki, 1983, Polska, dramat wojenny,
At winter night in 1943 a Jewish women, who fled from transportation, reaches the farm on outskirts of a village. Her arrival safes the farmers from suffocation. The famer decides to hide a doctor Chaja despite the resistance of his family. Unfortunately, he himself unravels this secret to the villagers. A partisan Mazurek rescues Piotr from death. Piotr falls in love with Chaja, yet she joins the partisans.
- Pianista, Roman Polański, 2002, Polska, Wielka Brytania, Francja, dramat wojenny,
A movie based on memories of Władysław Szpilman, a composer and pianist. He miraculously escaped death, taken back from Umschlagplatz by a Jewish policeman. After having left the ghetto, Szpilman hides among his Polish friends. After the Warsaw Uprising he is caught by Wilm Hosenfeld. The German captain, moved by composer’s piano playing, saves Szpilman’s life.
- Pokolenie, Andrzej Wajda, 1954, Polska, psychologiczny, wojenny,
Among the episodes in the movie, one can see the members of the leftish squad of the underground army trying to help Jews during the uprising in the Warsaw ghetto.
- Rescuers: Stories of Courage: Two Women, Bogdanovich, Peter, Stany Zjednoczone,
The film is based on Gay Block’s and Malka Drucker’s book “Portraits of Moral Courage in the Holocaust”. A Polish catholic housewife from Warsaw is taking care of a Jewish orphan, as she promised it to boy’s late mother. She smuggles for him food to the ghetto. The boy survives the war and emigrates to Palestine.
- Ryś, Stanisław Różewicz, 1981, Polska, psychologiczny,
A vicar Konrad, hearing confessions of a young partisan, comes to know that a cart-wright Alojzy is going to be executed. A priest initiates his own investigation as he does not belive in Alojzy’s guilt. While speaking to a cart-wright in his farmyard he sees a Jewish child they hide. This makes Konrad sure that Alojzy is a righteous man, who deserves some help.
- Samson, Andrzej Wajda, 1961, Polska, psychologiczny, wojenny,
The adaptation of Kazimierz Brandys’s novel. The story of a young Jew named Gold, who escapes from the ghetto and finds various shelters. After being discover by disapproving neighbours, he joins the conspirators and dies during one of his sabotage mission.
- Tragarz puchu, Janusz Kijowski, 1992, Polska, Francja, Niemcy, dramat, wojenny, romans, psychologiczny,
A remake of the film directed by S. Szlachtycz.
- Tragarz puchu, Stefan Szlachtycz, 1983, Polska, dramat, wojenny, romans, psychologiczny,
The story of a young Polish woman, Jadwiga, as she helps Dalek and his supposed sister Fryda, who both escaped from the ghetto. Frida, truly Dalek’s wife is jealous of her husband and Jadwiga. Therefore she reveals the truth about their relationship and leaves to the ghetto. Dalek follows her.
- Wedle wyroków twoich..., Jerzy Hoffman, 1983, Polska, wojenny,
The dramatic story of a Jewish girl named Ruth, who repeatedly escapes death thanks to a happy coincidence and to help from the Poles and Ruth’s own aunt.
- Wielki tydzień, Andrzej Wajda, 1995, Polska, psychologiczny, wojenny, obyczajowy,
The adaptation of a short novel bearing the same title, written by Jerzy Andrzejewski. Jan Malecki meets by chance Irena, his prewar love. He has to decide whether to safe the women. After having been discovered by the neighbours, Irena enters the ghetto engulfed by the uprising. The film shows various attitudes towards the Holocaust and the burden of a decision to help.
- W ciemności, Agnieszka Holland, 2011, Kanada, Niemcy, Polska, dramat, wojenny
- W cieniu nienawiści, Wojciech Żółtowski, 1985, Polska, wojenny,
A young mother Zofia questions the use of heroic resistance fight, however she agrees to shelter Róża Korngold’s daughter for few days. In the meantime the uprising begins and girl’s identity does not remain a secret. Zofia makes a hazardous attempt to smuggle her to a convent in Chotomów.