THE THIRD PART OF THE NIGHT

This apocalyptic vision set in Lviv (Lemberg) under German occupation offers a highly idiosyncratic take on the authentic experiences of a writer who, recruited to play host for lice, contributes to the occupiers’ development of a vaccination against typhoid. The events of the war are shown from the protagonist’s point of view, amplified by the presence of a possibly imaginary doppelgänger. Brimming with gory naturalism, hallucinations and paranoid dread, the breathless narrative style sets out to overwhelm the viewer. This debut feature set new standards for Polish film; shortly after its completion, the director emigrated to the West.