A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF A COUNTRY

It's the early 1980s and Poland is in a state of emergency. The anti-authoritarian Solidarność movement is being met with brutal repression. On 13 December 1981, President Wojciech Jaruzelski declares martial law – in response to a threat scenario secretly staged in consultation with the Soviet Union. While the Polish general population contends with curfews, telephone surveillance and a media system under the control of the military, the resistance goes underground and continues to fight. Western nations like Great Britain and the USA impose economic sanctions, causing the situation to escalate further. Tomasz Wolski employs found footage to provide a fascinating look at life under martial law. Through his dynamic, musical montage, we witness as the chaotic series of events unfolds. Wolski often intervenes in a humorous way, for instance when he helps a British news correspondent gain "retroactive fame". The film is a striking portrayal of one nation's will to resist and survive, refusing to give up in in spite of repression.