In Darkness 2011
Synopsis
Leopold Socha – a Polish sewer worker in Lvov, a Catholic, sinner, and a petty thief – provides shelter and support to the group of escapees from the Lvov\'s Ghetto by hiding them in the town\'s sewers for fourteen months. For money. However, what starts out as a good opportunity to make profit – when confronted with the immense suffering of the Jews hiding underground – leads to the creation of a deep emotional bond between Socha and the refugees. Leopold\'s story unfolds into a heroic struggle for human life, for the life of \'his Jews\'...
This true story is told by the moving Agnieszka Holland\'s film "In Darkness", produced by Zebra Film Studio (in co-production with Germany and Canada), with an outstanding performance of Robert Więckiewicz.
"I would like this movie to be close to the characters and emotionally honest. With the camera following the characters through the endless labyrinth of the town\'s sewers. The darkness must remain dark and the audience should have the sensual feeling of being there together with the characters" - Agnieszka Holland
Awards
2011 - IFF Telluride
2011 - IFF Toronto
2011 - IFF Valladolid - Best Director Award (Agnieszka Holland)
2011 - MFF Mar Del Plata - Audience Award
2011 - Polish Film Festival in Chicago - "Golden Teenth" Award for the most interesting feature film
2011 - Festiwal Filmu Polskiego w Ameryce, Chicago - "Genius" Award for actor\'s performance (Robert Więckiewicz)
2011 - MFF Saint Louis - Audience Award
2011 - International Film Festival "Plus Camerimage" - "Golden Frog" for best cinematography (Jolanta Dylewska)
2012 - Gdynia Polish Film Festival - Grand Prix (Jury\'s Grand Award "Golden Lions")
2012 - Gdynia Polish Film Festival - Best Director Award (Agnieszka Holland )
2012 - Gdynia Polish Film Festival - Best Cinematography Award (Jolanta Dylewska)
2012 - Gdynia Polish Film Festival - Best Production Design (Erwin Prib)
2012 - Gdynia Polish Film Festival - Best Production Design (Katarzyna Sobańska)
2012 - Gdynia Polish Film Festival - Best Production Design (Marcel Sławiński)
2012 - Gdynia Polish Film Festival - Best Costume Design (Katarzyna Lewińska)
2012 - Gdynia Polish Film Festival - Best Costume Design (Jagna Janicka)
2012 - Gdynia Polish Film Festival - Best Editing Award (Michał Czarnecki)
2012 - Gdynia Polish Film Festival - Best Make-up Award (Janusz Kaleja)
2012 - Gdynia Polish Film Festival - Best Actor Award (Robert Więckiewicz)
2012 - Gdynia Polish Film Festival - Best Actress Award (Agnieszka Grochowska)
2012 - "Eagle", Polish Academy Award - Best Cinematography Award (Jolanta Dylewska)
2012 - "Eagle", Polish Academy Award - Best Actor Award (Robert Więckiewicz)
2012 - "Eagle", Polish Academy Award - Best Supporting Actress Award (Kinga Preis)
2012 - Inernational Film Festival "Manaki Brothers", Bitola - Grand Prix "Golden Camera 300" (Jolanta Dylewska)
2012 - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scienses (AMPAS) - Oscar® 2012 nomination in Best Foreign Language Film category
2012 - Polish Cinemas Association Award - "Diamond Ticket" Award for high box-office results
About
Year of production:
2011
Producer:
Juliusz Machulski (Polish producer),, Steffen Reuter, Patrick Knippel, Marc–Daniel Dichant (German producers),, Paul Stephens, Eric Jordan (Canadian producers).
Executive Producer:
Andrzej Besztak
Genre:
war drama
Premiere:
03-01-2012
Technical specs:
35 mm, DCP, HDcam, Dolby Digital, 144 min.
Admissions:
1 200 000
Production:
Zebra Film Studio,, Schmidtz Katze Filmkollectiv (Germany),, The Film Works (Canada).
Supervising producer:
Wojciech Danowski
Co-financing:
Polish Film Institute,, The City of Lodz Office,, Canal+ Poland.
Distibution:
Kino Świat (distribution in Poland)
Beta Cinema Gmbh (world sales)
Filmmakers
Directed by:
Agnieszka Holland
Written by:
David F. Shamoon, based on Robert Marshall's book "In the Sewers of Lvov"
Cinematography by:
Jolanta Dylewska
Edited by:
Michał Czarnecki
Music by:
Antoni Komasa-Łazarkiewicz
Sound by:
Robert Fletcher, Daniel Pellerin
Set Decoration by:
Erwin Prib, Katarzyna Sobańska, Marcel Sławiński
Costume Designer:
Katarzyna Lewińska, Jagna Janicka
Production Manager:
Andrzej Besztak
Cast
Robert Więckiewicz (Leopold Socha),
Benno Fürmann (Mundek Margulies),
Agnieszka Grochowska (Klara Keller),
Maria Schrader (Paulina Chiger),
Herbert Knaup (Ignacy Chiger),
Kinga Preis (Wanda Socha, Leopold\'s wife),
Krzysztof Skonieczny (Szczepek Wróblewski, Socha\'s assistant),
Julia Kijowska (Chaja),
Marcin Bosak (Janek Weiss),
Jerzy Walczak (Jakub Berestycki),
Michał Żurawski (Antoni Bortnik),
Oliwer Stańczak (Paweł Chiger, Krysia\'s brother),
Milla Bańkowicz (Krysia Chiger),
Aleksander (Olek) Mincer (Szlomo Landsberg),
Piotr Głowacki (Icek Frenkiel),
Maria Semotiuk (Mania Keller, Klara\'s sister),
Zofia Pieczyńska (Stefcia Socha, daughter of Leopold and Wanda),
Etl Szyc (Szona Grossman),
Weronika Rosati (woman with a child),
Andrzej Mastalerz (sewer worker Sawicki),
Ida Łozińska (Rachela Grossman),
Mania Łozińska (teenage girl),
Dorota Liliental (Jewess),
Maja Bohosiewicz (young Pole, the German\'s girlfriend),
Vito Hanne (young German),
Piotr Nowak (German soldier),
Laura Lo Zito (Irena),
Zacharjasz Muszyński (Ukrainian soldier),
Olena Leonenko (huckstress),
Jeremias Koschorz (young German soldier),
Maciej Więckowski (priest),
Alexander Levit (Kowaliew),
Frank Köbe (Wilhaus),
Ireneusz Czop (SS man in a camp at Janowska street),
Anton Levit (Max, Ukrainian officer),
Benjamin Höppner (SS officer),
Ryszard Mosingiewicz (lwowiak),
Filip Garbacz (teenager),
Dorota Paciarelli (salesclerk),
Aniela Nykowska (Anielka, the huckstress\'s daughter),
Wolfgang Boos (officer),
Benedikt Crisand (Daniel)