A man’s (Zbigniew Cybulski) return to Kraków following 20 years of self-imposed exile in London serves as the narrative setup for Has’s eighth feature, one whose thematic and formal developments presage his later masterpieces. Upon returning to Kraków, the man is haunted by the uncertain fate that met his son during World War II, and as he tries to investigate, he soon discovers something—a secret code? A private language?—seems to be preventing him from communicating with his former friends and family.

 Screening with:
Scouts at Rally
Wojciech Jerzy Has, 1952, Poland, 18m
A fascinating documentary reportage from the Rally of Young Pioneer Builders of the People’s Republic of Poland (the Communist version of the Boy Scouts, essentially).