Leave no traces (Żeby nie było śladów) | PIOTR GZOWSKI
In 1949, George Orwell in his novel 1984 presented a tale about a dystopian, totalitarian society symbolized by the omnipresent image of a Big Brother and ruled by a Party, whose political apparatus infused itself into every level of human existence. It subjugated its citizenry through mass surveillance, manipulation of the public media, revision of facts, psychological coercion, brutality, imprisonment, and torture. It reinforced its influence by eradicating any hope of being politically defeated by adopting and practicing a policy of perpetual fear. Orwell’s novel was a dismal view of the future, but it was fiction. By 1983, in Poland, it was very near to a reality.
The Polish entry to the 44th Annual Denver International Film Festival, sponsored by Consulate General of Poland in Los Angeles, was Jan Matuszynski’s film Leave No Traces (Żeby nie było śladów). Based on the book of the same title by Cezary Lazarewicz, the film captures a moment of ugly history regarding one of the most treacherous crimes committed by a government against its people - the death of Grzegorz Przemyk, a young student and the son of dissident poet Barbara Sadowska, who was indiscriminately arrested by the police, beaten so brutally and expertly at station house that he subsequently died of internal injuries without a trace of topical bruising.
The real tragedy of this true story is that the Communist regime under Wojciech Jaruzelski who was responsible for the crime totally got away with it. Despite the fact that there was an eyewitness to the killing the perpetrators of the crime, escaped both public reprimand and punishment.
Leave No Traces, is a stirring film. It is magnificently portrayed by a superb cast, remarkably scripted, and impressively edited. Yet, it is an extremely difficult film to digest. For three hours, the film grinds away at the audience’s emotions as it painstakingly retells the details of how an Evil without a conscience was able to whitewash heinous behavior by revising the truth, coercing the innocent into false confessions, and then brazenly declaring that it successfully executed justice for the public welfare under the guise of proper law and order.
The film poses tough questions for the viewer - Why was the subject broached so long after the event? What does the film hope to accomplish? Who is the contemporary audience for the film?
Most political docudramas usually appear shortly after the conditions where they occurred have changed favorably enough to draw attention to the matter. They are made either to commemorate the event to or to elicit a reaction and spur the audience into some course of action. Przemyk’s murder occurred 40-years ago. Since then, an entire generation has grown up which never experienced the conditions in Poland prior to the first free elections in 1989. Surrounding that new generation, is that great circle of survivors whose wounds fester for the lack of accountability and justice for the horrible infractions committed by the powerful during the Communist era.
If the film is a commemoration, it is an extremely painful one. Commemorations usually recall heroism against formidable odds. Przemyk’s murder was an atrocity against innocence. Commemorating an atrocity is problematic unless it has a broader application. A people’s moral survival against all odds in an age of atrocities is a possible theme, but this film focuses in on that one single event rather than the broader scope.
If the film’s intention is to provide a warning that history can repeat itself, then, within the bounds of contemporary attitudes regarding the acquisition of wealth and influence, is the acceptance of such a warning even viable? Although this is an extremely cynical view, considering who within recent times has been voluntarily placed into power, it is not an unrealistic one.
Among friends who saw the film, the general opinion is that only those Poles who experienced the conditions in Poland prior to the defeat of Communism can understand the film. My movie companion for the Denver Festival screening of Leave No Traces is an American. She was deeply affected by the film. It was the primary subject of our two-hour conversation over dinner after the showing. Furthermore, the film was selected for the Golden Lion at the 7th Venice international Festival and is currently the Polish entry for the Best International Feature Film at upcoming 94th Academy Awards. Therefore, the film does have a wider appeal than some grant it.
An artist claims that art is a creation for its own sake. Its greatness is determined by the reactions it elicits from those who encounter it. Leave No Traces is a powerful work of art. It evokes emotions from the core of the heart. It provokes thinking with difficult, subjective questions. And it is a film not easily dismissed .
However, there is a caution – this is not an entertaining piece of work. Like George Orwell’s novel 1984, there is no happy ending. Justice remains unsatisfied, and the bad guys emerge triumphant.
However, if you are the type of movie goer who surrenders to the story on the screen, who accepts an opportunity to gauge personal morals and ethics, and who is able not to shy away from ugliness, you may discover that Jan Matuszynski’s film Leave No Traces is, in fact, a great work of art.
Of course, as always, dear reader, this in only my opinion. See the film, and then judge for yourself.
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Author’s Postscript
– Special thanks to Honorary Consul of Poland in Colorado, Mr. Tomasz Skotnicki for his introductory words before Leave No Traces (Żeby nie było śladów) at the 44th Denver International Film Festival.
And, to Mrs. Dorota Skotnicka for her efforts in bringing in the audiences to watch this film.
Worth a Peek – December 2021
Besides Godzilla, Sherlock Holmes is the second most popular film and television subject. Conan Doyle’s original adventures of Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Dr. John Watson have been told and retold countless times by the American, the British, the Australians and the Russians as period piece as well as a modern adaptation. The most recent hat-in-the ring is an all-female Japanese version of the duo in a six-part series that takes place in modern Japan called Miss Sherlock.
When I first noticed the HBO Max logo Miss Sherlock on my flat screen TV my reaction was a cynical chuckle – a Japanese female Sherlock Homes? Really? You must be kidding. However, curiosity is ingrained into my nature, therefore, I devoted an entire Friday to Saturday night to binge watch all six parts. What surprised me was that the Japanese totally carried it off. The plot development somewhat resembles the recent BBC TV series but there the similarity ends. The Sherlock character is rude and unpredictable and wonderfully played by Yuko Takeuchi. The Watson counter Dr. Wato Tachibana (referred to in the series as “Wato-san) portrayed by Shihori Kanjiya is the perfect foil for the eccentric detective, and the Moriarty character portrayed by Kei Tanaka is one of the eeriest versions ever seen. Therefore, if you’re looking for a TV binge and don’t have problem with subtitles, this is a good one.
The Benchmark Theater
Once upon time before COVID-19, Denver had a healthy consortium of affordable, small, fringe theaters where a fan of live stage performance could always find something worthwhile to see. The pandemic, however, placed a kibosh on live performance and many were forced to close, some permanently. Recently, however, the doors have begun to reopen.
One of the theaters really worth visiting is the Benchmark Theater located at 1560 Teller Street (just off 14th Street near Wadsworth Ave) in Lakewood.
When the Edge Theater (which was my favorite fringe Company) moved to Chicago several years ago, the group that now calls itself The Benchmark Theatre took over the space. Currently, it is presenting a new stage comedy by Steve Martin “Meteor Shower” which plays until December 18th at very affordable prices.
Live theater is enormous fun and sharing the space with the actual characters of the story performed in front of you, especially if the actors a good, is a delight. Therefore, if you have an urge to see something special and immediately gratifying, purchase a ticket on-line (it is a small house), take a drive West, stop for a quick bite to eat, and then see a live show at the Benchmark.