A screening of two classics from Andrzej Wajda: Man of Marble and Man of Iron. Inbetween Katarzyna Ślesicka and Kris van Heuckelom will reflect on how how the propaganda is portrayed in Wajda’s film as a manipulative, myth-making machine.
Man of Marble (1976, 165 min)
A young filmmaker sets out to uncover the fate of Mateusz Birkut, a once-celebrated bricklayer who became a socialist icon during Poland’s Stalinist era before disappearing from public life. As the investigation unfolds through archival footage, interviews, and official records, the gap between state propaganda and lived experience becomes increasingly apparent. Blending political inquiry with self-reflection, Man of Marble is both a gripping mystery and a landmark critique of power and historical mythmaking. Andrzej Wajda’s masterpiece captures the complexities of postwar Poland while affirming cinema’s ability to challenge official narratives and recover forgotten lives.
Talk: Reflections on propaganda and truth
How is propaganda in Wajda’s films portrayed as a manipulative, myth-making machine? Wajda demonstrates how easily filmmakers, and the state officials could produce documentaries to serve political purpose. And that was a long time before AI generated content. A very current topic.
Film: Man of Iron (1981, 157 min)
It is August 1980, in the Gdańsk shipyard the strikes had just begun. Man of Iron follows a disillusioned journalist assigned to discredit Maciej Tomczyk, a prominent worker and opposition activist. As he pieces together Tomczyk’s story, his own assumptions begin to unravel, reflecting the profound social and political transformation unfolding across Poland. Interweaving fictional characters with historical figures and using documentary footage, Andrzej Wajda creates a portrait of solidarity, courage, and the struggle for freedom. Awarded the Palme d’Or at the 1981 Cannes Film Festival, Man of Iron stands as a political drama and an enduring testament to the power of collective action.
About Amsterdam Polish Film Festival
The 5th edition of the Amsterdam Polish Film Festival is entirely dedicated to Andrzej Wajda, the renowned Polish director who received an Academy Award in 2000 for his lifetime achievement.
Speakers
The 5th edition of the Amsterdam Polish Film Festival is entirely dedicated to Andrzej Wajda, the renowned Polish director who received an Academy Award in 2000 for his lifetime achievement. With screenings of a number of his masterpieces, we join the celebration of Wajda Year, marking what would have been his 100th birthday and the
The twenty-four posters on display, created for sixteen of Wajda his films, show how Polish poster artists transformed film promotion into an art form of its own.
