Poklosie (2012)

The plot is set in a small Podlasie town near Łapy in 2001. Franciszek Kalina, alarmed by the news that the wife of his younger brother has run away from home, leaves the USA and comes to his hometown after over two decades of emigration. He finds out that his brother has uprooted matzevos lying on one of the roads and has made a collection of headstone monuments in his backyard. Afterwards he also purchased other matzevos from farmers. However, his actions have met with negative and hostile reactions on the side of the locals. Franciszek Kalina tries to seek the underlying cause for the ostracism of this small town. The truth will be shocking and will dramatically change the lives of both brothers. To one of them, this story will end tragically.

Pasikowski’s film may be perceived as a continuation of the discussion sparked by Jan Tomasz Gross’s recent book ‘Neighbours’. The screenwriter pieced together various parts of authentic stories, predominantly stories related to pogroms which occurred in the summer of 1941 in Jedwabne, Radziłłów and Wąsosz. This problem goes far beyond the Podlasie region to other Polish towns and villages, which is illustrated by the story of the slaughter of the Trinczer family in Gniewczyn, in the Podkarpackie province. In all probability, the figure of Józef Kalina is modeled on Zbigniew Romaniuk, who collected stolen headstones and transported them to the Jewish cemetery in the 1980s. He researched the history of Brańsk Jews, which eventually put him at odds with the local community. Historian Krzysztof Persak comments on the film as follows: “This is actually a film adaptation of reality. When I first read the screenplay, I was really impressed by the fact that everything which happens in the film hits the nail on the head’. The film touches on the burning question of Jewish property and crimes which are still covered in the veil of silence among local communities. The film makes you think about the complex situation of those Poles who increasingly begin to restore the memory of former residents of their small hometowns.

The film’s plot is dynamic and keeps you in suspense. The style of a thriller may be problematic for those who think that the sheer theme of the movie is dramatic enough. The second part of the film has some drawbacks, such as obvious shortcuts and oversimplifications of the plot. You may also find the scene when Józef and Franciszek sunk in knee-high water are digging a mass grave in swampy ground in the heavy rain until the night comes, a little bit awkward. Maybe it would be better if the film ended with the question “What next?”. However, these are only subtle drawbacks, which do not diminish the excellent work of director and screenwriter Władysław Pasikowski and of Paweł Edelma, the cameraman. The play of Maciej Stuhr and Ireneusz Czop and other second role actors is superb.