Interrogation (1982 film)

Interrogation (Polish: Przesłuchanie) is a 1982 Polish film about false imprisonment under the Stalinist pro-Soviet Polish regime in the early 1950s. An ordinary, apolitical woman refuses to cooperate with the abusive system and its officials, who are trying to force her to incriminate a former incidental lover, now an accused political prisoner. It was directed by Ryszard Bugajski. Due to its criticism of the regime, the Polish communist government banned the film from public viewing for over seven years, until the 1989 dissolution of the Eastern Bloc allowed it to see the light of day.[1] The film had its first theatrical release in December 1989 in Poland and was entered into the 1990 Cannes Film Festival, where Krystyna Janda won the award for Best Actress and the film was nominated for the Palme d'Or.[2]

Interrogation
DVD cover
Directed byRyszard Bugajski
Produced byTadeusz Drewno
Andrzej Wajda
Written byRyszard Bugajski
Janusz Dymek
StarringKrystyna Janda
Adam Ferency
Janusz Gajos
CinematographyJacek Petrycki
Edited byKatarzyna Maciejko-Kowalczyk
Production
company
Zespól Filmowy "X"
Release date
  • 13 December 1989 (1989-12-13)
Running time
118 minutes
CountryPoland
LanguagePolish

Despite the film's controversial initial reception and subsequent banning, it garnered a cult fanbase through the circulation of illegally taped VHS copies, which director Ryszard Bugajski secretly helped to leak to the general public.[1][3]

Plot

Set in 1951, the film centres around Tonia (Krystyna Janda), a cabaret singer in Stalinist Poland. After she performs for soldiers, she quarrels with her husband (Olgierd Łukaszewicz) who she feels has been too friendly with her best friend. Two men get her drunk and say they will take her home by car. Instead, she is driven to a political military prison to be arrested, imprisoned and interrogated, without being told why.

Over the course of several years, she is humiliated and bullied by prison officials into confessing to crimes she did not commit. After refusing to sign a false confession which denounces a friend, she is taken to the showers block in the basement and placed in a tiny barred cell. The water is turned on and the room slowly floods. She is released at the last moment and told to sign the confession form again, but again refuses. While in prison, she demands to see her husband. One day, he visits the prison, but is told by the officials of the infidelities she has been forced to reveal, and tells her that he does not want to see her again. She unsuccessfully attempts suicide.

She then forms a romantic relationship with one of the interrogators, (Adam Ferency), whom she tells of the absurdity of the system in which he believes. She becomes pregnant by him and, like other female inmates, is forced to give up her child for adoption. The officer secures her release and her ability to reclaim their child and then commits suicide.

Cast

Awards
Festival Category Winner/Nominee Won
Cannes Film Festival[2] Best Actress Krystyna Janda Yes
Palme d'Or Ryszard Bugajski No
Chicago International Film Festival[4] Silver Hugo Ryszard Bugajski Yes
European Film Awards[5] Best Actress Krystyna Janda No
Best Film Janusz Morgenstern No
Best Screenwriter Ryszard Bugajski, Janusz Dymek No
Polish Film Festival[6] Best Actor Janusz Gajos Yes
Best Actress Krystyna Janda Yes
Best Supporting Actress Anna Romantowska Yes
Special Jury Prize Ryszard Bugajski Yes

See also
  • Polish cinema

References
  1. Benson, Sheila (26 September 1990). "Movie Review - 'Interrogation': Janda's Arresting Performance - Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 23 September 2009.
  2. "Festival de Cannes: Interrogation". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 5 August 2009.
  3. "Second Run DVD - Interrogation". Second Run DVD. Retrieved 3 August 2010.
  4. "Polish culture: Ryszard Bugajski". culture.pl. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  5. "European Film Awards 1990". europeanfilmacademy.org. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  6. "Przesłuchanie". filmpolski.pl. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
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