On May 28 at 7:15 p.m. at the DGA New York Theater (110 W 57th Street, New York, NY 10019), following the opening ceremony, there will be a screening of the film "Ashes and Diamonds" ("Popiół i diamen").

"Ashes and Diamonds" is the third feature film in Andrzej Wajda's World War II trilogy ("Generation" - "Kanal" - "Ashes and Diamonds"), filmed in 1958 based on the novel by Jerzy Andrzejewski.

The film takes place in 1945, immediately after the end of World War II. Its protagonist is a former Home Army (AK) soldier, Maciek Chełmicki (Zbigniew Cybulski), who, while working in the anti-communist underground, receives an order to liquidate Szczuka, the local secretary of the Polish Workers' Party. Over time, Chełmicki began to doubt more and more whether he had chosen the right path.

Maciek Chełmicki (Zbigniew Cybulski)

Wajda, having translated Andrzejewski's literary original into a film, softened the propagandistic message of the novel. In the film "Ashes and Diamonds", instead of giving preference to the point of view of communist leaders, the main focus is on the tragic fate of the partisans of the post-war underground, who fought for independence. The film received permission from the authorities for distribution only thanks to the intercession of Andrzejewski himself. Although it was not admitted to the main competition of the Cannes Film Festival, it was shown out of competition at the Venice Film Festival and was awarded the FIPRESCI Prize.

The film, enthusiastically received by both Polish and foreign critics, has received mixed interpretations. Despite its historical shortcomings, the film "Ashes and Diamonds" remains one of the most important works of the Polish film school.

The title of the film, as well as the novel by Jerzy Andrzejewski, is taken from a poem by the Polish poet Cyprian Norwid (translated by Galina Andreeva):

When you burn, what will become of you:

Will you go away as smoke into the blue sky,

Will you become as ashes dead in the wind?

What of yours will you leave in the world?

How can we remember you in the early vale of tears,

Why did you come into the world?

What did the ashes hide from us?

And what if a diamond shines from the ashes,

Shimmers from the bottom with its pure facet…

It is noteworthy that the melody of the song “Dark Night” (music by Nikita Bogoslovsky) is heard in the film.

Wajda’s biggest problem was convincing the authorities to show “Ashes and Diamonds”. In the text of the program compiled for the premiere of the film, the director revealed his plan. At the end of the last day of the war, before the first peaceful morning, Maciek, despite his youth, carrying the heavy burden of the occupation past, understands that he is tired. He is tired of performing feats, he wants to throw off this heavy burden, he is faced with the choice that sooner or later every soldier has to make. He wants to start a new life, but, obeying the order, he kills again:

"He prefers to kill a man, even in spite of himself, just so as not to give up his weapon, he acts as a representative of that generation that counts only on itself and on a well-hidden pistol, reliable, not misfiring ..."

In the film "Ashes and Diamonds" Zbigniew Cybulski played his best role. In playing this role, he was guided by James Dean in the film "Rebel Without a Cause".

The film "Ashes and Diamonds" was awarded the prize of the weekly "Film" for the best Polish film of 1958. At the Venice International Film Festival in 1959, it received the FIPRESCI Prize (International Federation of Film Critics).

In 1960, two BAFTA (British Academy of Film) nominations were received - the film itself, Ashes and Diamonds, as best film and Zbigniew Cybulski, as best foreign actor.

Krystyna (Ewa Krzyzewska)

Szczuka (Wacław Zastrzeżyński)

Andrzej (Adam Pawlikowski)

Editor Pienążek (Stanisław Milski) and Drewnowski (Bohumil Kobiela)

Hotel porter (Jan Ciecierski)

Master of Ceremonies Kotowicz (Artur Młodnicki)

Katarzyna Staniewicz (Halina Kwiatkowska) and Major Florian (Ignacy Machowski)

Hanka Lewicka (Grażyna Staniszewska)

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Once again, we remind you that this year the New York Polish Film Festival will be held from May 27 to May 31 at the Directors Guild of America (DGA) Theater and Scandinavia House on Park Avenue in New York.

Tickets can be purchased on the film festival website at:

https://nypff.com/tickets-2025/

A subscription to all film screenings and special events of the festival costs $150.00.

For students, a 50% discount on all tickets upon presentation of a student ID.