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 The
Decalogue: A Synopsis
"For 6,000 years, these rules have been unquestionably right.
And yet we break them every day. People feel that something is wrong
in life. There is some kind of atmosphere that makes people now turn
to other values. They want to contemplate thebasic questions of life,
and that is probably the real reason for wanting to tell these stories."
-Krzysztof Kieslowski on The Decalogue
Decalogue 1
"I am the Lord thy God; thou shalt have no other gods before
me."
Krzysztof introduces his small son, Pawel, to the mysteries of the
personal computer, a machine which he believes is infallible. It is
winter. Pawel, anxious to try out his new pair of skates, asks his
father if he can go out to the local pond which has just frozen over.
They consult the computer; the ice will hold the boy's weight; he
can go. Pawel doesn't come home. There was a freak local thaw; the
computer was wrong; Pawel drowned. Krzysztof runs to the church in
protest and despair, falls against an altar. Candle wax splashes over
the face of the black Madonna and dries on her cheeks as tears.
Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski
Screenplay: Krzysztof Kieslowski, Krzysztof Piesiewicz
Cinematography: Wieslaw Zdort
Editor: Ewa Smal
Art Director: Halina Dobrowolska
Sound: Malgorzata Jaworska
Music: Zbigniew Preisner
Producer: Ryszard Chutkowski
Production Company: Polish Television
Cast: Henryk Baranowski (Krzysztof), Wojciech Klata (Pawel),
Maja Komorowska (Irena), Artur Barcis (Man in the sheepskin), Maria
Gladkowska (Girl), Ewa Kania (Ewa Jezierska). Aleksandra Kisielewska
(Woman), Aleksandra Majsiuk (Ola), Magda
Sroga-Mikolajczyk (Journalist), Anna Smal-Romanska, Maciej Slawinski,
Piotr Wyrzykowski, Bozena Wrobel
35mm color, 53 mins top
Decalogue 2
"Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord they God in vain."
Dorota visits Andrzej, her dying husband, in the hospital. She is
pregnant - this might be the last chance for her to have a baby -
but not by him. She asks the Consultant in charge of her husband's
case whether Andrzej will die. If he lives, she will have an abortion;
if
he dies, she can have the child. How can the doctor decide the life
or death of an unborn child? How can he be certain whether his patient
will die or miraculously recover? He tells Dorota that her husband
doesn't have a chance; but Andrzej recovers. Dorota tells
Andrzej that they are going to have a baby; he thinks it's his.
Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski
Screenplay: Krzysztof Kieslowski, Krzysztof Piesiewicz
Cinematography: Edward Klosinski
Editor: Ewa Smal
Art Director: Halina Dobrowolska
Sound: Malgorzata Jaworska
Music: Zbigniew Preisner
Producer: Ryszard Chutkowski
Production Company: Polish Television
Cast: Krystyna Janda (Dorota), Aleksander Bardini (Consultant),
Olgierd Lukaszewicz (Andrzej), Artur Barcis (Young Man), Stanislaw
Gawlik, Krzysztof Kumor, Maciej Szary, Krystyna Bigelmajer, Karol
Dillenius, Ewa Ekwinska, Jerzy Fedorowicz, Piotr
Siejka, Aleksander Trabczynski
35mm color, 57 mins top
Decalogue 3
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy."
Christmas Eve, a night when families are together and nobody wants
to be alone. Ewa tricks Janusz, her ex-lover, away from his family
and under various pretexts tries to keep him with her for the night.
Janusz wants to go home but Ewa is determined. They part at
dawn.
Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski
Screenplay: Krzysztof Kieslowski, Krzysztof Piesiewicz
Cinematography: Piotr Sobocinski
Editor: Ewa Smal
Art Director: Halina Dobrowolska
Sound: Nikodem Wolk-Laniewski
Producer: Ryszard Chutkowski
Production Company: Polish Television
Cast: Daniel Olbrychski (Janusz), Maria Pakulnis (Ewa), Joanna
Szczepowska (Janusz's wife), Artur Barcis (Tram-driver), Krystyna
Drochocka (Aunt), Krzysztof Kumor, Dorota Stalinska, Zygmunt Fok,
Jacek Kalucki, Barbara Kolodziejska, Maria Krawczyk, Jerzy Zygmunt
Nowak, Piotr Rzymszkiewicz, Wlodzimierz Rzeczycki,
Wlodzimierz Musial
35mm color, 56 mins top
Decalogue 4
"Honor thy father and thy mother."
Anka is 20 years old. Her mother is dead and she lives with Michal,
her father. They get on well together. Michal has to go on a trip
abroad. While he is away, Anka finds an envelope in her father's room:
'Not to be opened before my death.' Within that envelope is another,
addressed, in her mother's handwriting, to her. Anka meets her father
on his return and quotes the letter where her mother reveals that
Michal is not Anka's real father. A different relationship emerges
between Anka and Michal as Anka subtly tries to seduce him. Michal
resists; she might still be his daughter. As Michal leaves for another
trip, Anka runs after him, confessing that she hasn't read the letter
after all.
Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski
Screenplay: Krzysztof Kieslowski, Krzysztof Piesiewicz
Cinematography: Kyzysztof Pakulski
Editor: Ewa Smal
Art Director: Halina Dobrowolska
Sound: Malgorzata Jaworska
Music: Zbigniew Preisner
Producer: Ryszard Chutkowski
Production Company: Polish Television
Cast: Adrianna Biedrynska (Anka), Janusz Gajos (Michal), Artur
Barcis (Young Man), Adam Hanuszkiewicz (Professor), Jan Tesarz (Taxi-driver),
Andrzej Blumenfeld (Michal's friend), Tomasz Kozlowicz (Jarek), Elzbeta
Kilarska (Jarek's mother), Helena
Norowicz (Doctor)
35mm color, 56 mins top
Decalogue 5
"Thou shalt not kill."
A youth, randomly and brutally, murders a taxi-driver. Piotr has
just passed his law exams and been admitted to the bar. He is to defend
Jacek, the young murderer. There is no evidence for the defense, and
no apparent motive. Jacek is put on trial, found guilty
and executed by hanging. Piotr, after his first case, is left with
the bitter doubt - does the legal system, in the name of the people,
have the right to kill in cold blood?
Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski
Screenplay: Krzysztof Kieslowski, Krzysztof Piesiewicz
Cinematography: Slawomir Idziak
Editor: Ewa Smal
Art Director: Halina Dobrowolska
Sound: Malgorzata Jaworska
Music: Zbigniew Preisner
Producer: Ryszard Chutkowski
Production Company: Polish Television
Cast: Miroslaw Baka (Jacek), Krzysztof Globisz (Piotr), Jan
Tesarz
(Taxi-driver), Zbigniew Zapasiewicz (Police Inspector), Barbara
Dziekan-Wajda (Cashier), Aleksander Bednarz, Jerzy Zass,
Zdzislaw Tobiasz, Artur Barcis, Krystyna Janda, Olgierd
Lukaszewicz
35mm color, 57 mins
(Extended version released as A Short Film about Killing) top
Decalogue 6
"Thou shalt not commit adultery."
Tomek, a young post office worker, is obsessed with Magda, the promiscuous
woman who lives in the tower block opposite. He spies on her through
a telescope and finally declares his love. She initiates him into
the basic fact of life - there is no love, only sex.
Tomek, shattered, tries to commit suicide but doesn't succeed.When
he returns from the hospital, it is Magda who becomes obsessed with
him.
Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski
Screenplay: Krzysztof Kieslowski, Krzysztof Piesiewicz
Cinematography: Witold Adamek
Editor: Ewa Smal
Art Director: Halina Dobrowolska
Sound: Nikodem Wolk-Laniewski
Music: Zbigniew Preisner
Producer: Ryszard Chutkowski
Production Company: Polish Television
Cast: Grazyna Szapolowska (Magda), Olaf Lubaszenko (Tomek),
Stefania Iwinska (Godmother), Artur Barcis (Young Man), Stanislaw
Gawlik (Postman), Piotr Machalica (Roman), Rafal Imbro (Bearded
Man), Jan Piechocinski (Blond Man), Malgorzata Rozniatowska, M.
Chojnacka, T. Gradowski, K. Koperski, J. Michalewska, E.
Zi"lkowska
35mm color, 58 mins
(Extended version released as A Short Film about Love)
top
Decalogue 7
"Thou shalt not steal."
Six-year-old Ania is being brought up by Ewa in the belief that
Majka, Ewa's daughter, is her sister, whereas Majka is really her
mother. Tired of living this lie and desperate to have Ania love her
as a mother, Majka 'kidnaps' Ania and runs away from her parents.
She seeks refuge with Wojtek, Ania's father. Majka was just a schoolgirl
when Wojtek, her teacher, got her pregnant. Ewa, jealous of Ania's
love, looks for her everywhere, phones Wojtek. Majka seizes her little
girl and continues to run; she will only return home if her mother
allows her to bring up her own daughter in the recognition of the
true relationship. Majka and Ania hide at a nearby station. Ewa asks
the woman at the ticket office whether she has seen a young woman
with a little girl. The ticket woman lies
- yes, she did see them but they left some two hours ago. In the background,
Ania wakes up and sees Ewa. 'Mommy,' she calls and runs to her. A
train arrives, Majka jumps on, rejecting Ewa's pleas for her to come
home.
Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski
Screenplay: Krzysztof Kieslowski, Krzysztof Piesiewicz
Cinematography: Dariusz Kuc
Editor: Ewa Smal
Art Director: Halina Dobrowolska
Sound: Nikodem Wolk-Laniewski
Music: Zbigniew Preisner
Producer: Ryszard Chutkowski
Production Company: Polish Television
Cast: Anna Polony (Ewa), Maja Barelkowska (Majka), Wladyslaw
Kowalski (Stefan), Boguslaw Linda (Wojtek), Bozena Dykiel (Ticket
Woman), Katarzyna Piwowarczyk (Ania), Stefania Blonska, Dariusz Jablonski,
Jan Mayzel, Miroslawa Maludzinska, Ewa Radzikowska, Wanda Wroblewska
35mm color, 55 mins top
Decalogue 8
"Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor."
Elzbieta, researching the fate of Jewish war survivors, is visiting
from New York and sits in on lectures in ethics at the University
of Warsaw. She approaches Zofia, the professor, and tells her that
she is the little Jewish girl whom Zofia refused to shelter from the
Nazis during the Occupation. As Zofia explains the reason for this
apparent cowardice - someone had betrayed Zofia's husband who was
active in the underground and any Jewish child would have fallen into
the hands of the Gestapo - her long-standing sense
of guilt is cleared while Elzbieta's faith in humanity is restored.
Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski
Screenplay: Krzysztof Kieslowski, Krzysztof Piesiewicz
Cinematography: Andrzej Jaroszewicz
Editor: Ewa Smal
Art Director: Halina Dobrowolska
Sound: Wieslawa Dembinska
Music: Zbigniew Preisner
Producer: Ryszard Chutkowski
Production Company: Polish Television
Cast: Maria Koscialkowska (Zofia), Teresa Marczewska (Elzbieta),
Artur Barcis (Young Man), Tadeusz Lomnicki (Tailor), Marian Opania,
Bronislaw Pawlik, Wojciech Asinski, Marek Kepinski, Janusz Mond, Krzysztof
Rojek, Wiktor Sanejko, Ewa Skibinska, Hanna Szcerkowska, Anna Zagorska
35mm color, 55 mins top
Decalogue 9
"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house."
Roman learns he's impotent. Recognizing his wife, Hankas's, sexual
needs, he encourages her to take a lover. She is reluctant; she loves
Roman, but does have an affair with Mariusz, a student. Roman, despite
his own words, becomes excessively jealous and
obsessed with the thought that Hanka might have followed his encouragement
and taken a lover. He spies on her and learns of her relationship
with Mariusz, unaware of the fact that Hanka has broken off the affair.
Roman tries to commit suicide but survives. Hanka rushes to his side.
Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski
Screenplay: Krzysztof Kieslowski, Krzysztof Piesiewicz
Cinematography: Piotr Sobocinski
Editor: Ewa Smal
Art Director: Halina Dobrowolska
Sound: Nikodem Wolk-Laniewski
Music: Zbigniew Preisner
Producer: Ryszard Chutkowski
Production Company: Polish Television
Cast: Ewa Blaszczyk (Hanka), Piotr Machalica (Roman), Artur
Barcis (Young Man), Jan Jankowski (Mariusz), Jolanta Pietek-Gorecka
(Ola), Katarzyna Piwowarczyk (Ania), Jerzy Trela (Mikolaj), Malgorzata
Boratynska, Renata Berger, Janusz Cywinski,
Joanna Cichon, Slawomir Kwiatkowski, Dariusz Przychoda
35mm color, 58 mins top
Decalogue 10
"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his
manservant, nor his maid, nor his goods, nor anything that is
your neighbor's."
A man dies leaving an extremely valuable stamp collection to his
two sons, Jerzy and Artur. Although they know very little about stamps,
they are unwilling to sell. They learn that one very rare stamp is
needed to complete the valuable set. To acquire the stamp Jerzy donates
his kidney - the man in possession of the stamp is in need of a kidney
for his daughter. Returning from hospital, Jerzy and Artur find that
they have been burgled. The entire stamp collection is gone. Shamefully,
they confess that they suspected each other and are reconciled.
Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski
Screenplay: Krzysztof Kieslowski, Krzysztof Piesiewicz
Cinematography: Jacek Blawut
Editor: Ewa Smal
Art Director: Halina Dobrowolska
Sound: Nikodem Wolk-Laniewski
Music: Zbigniew Preisner
Producer: Ryszard Chutkowski
Production Company: Polish Television
Cast: Jerzy Stuhr (Jerzy), Zbigniew Zamachowski (Artur), Henryk
Bista (Shopkeeper), Olaf Lubaszenko (Tomek), Maciej Stuhr (Piotrek),
Jerzy Turek, Anna Gronostaj, Henryk Majcherek, Elzbieta Panas, Dariusz
Kozakiewicz, Grzegorz Warchol, Cezary
Harasimowicz
35mm color, 57 mins top
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