Introduction

In Darkness (Polish: W ciemności (original title)) is a dual-perspective 2011 Polish drama film written by David F. Shamoon and directed by Agnieszka Holland. It was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards.

Based on true events during German occupation of Poland, the film tells about Leopold Socha, a sewer worker in the Polish city of Lwów. He used his knowledge of the city’s sewer system to shelter a group of Jews who had escaped from the Lwów Ghetto during the Holocaust in Poland.

Outline

In Nazi-occupied Poland, during World War II, two Lvov sewer workers, Leopold Socha and Szczepek Wróblewski, loot successfully. They witness Nazis executing Jewish women in the woods before returning home. In the Lvov ghetto, Jews face persecution and humiliation by German SS men and collaborating Ukrainian police. Illegal trade and prostitution flourish under the ghetto walls, involving smugglers like Mundek Margulies.

While working in the sewers, Socha and Szczepek encounter Jews attempting to escape to the Aryan side of Lvov. Ignacy Chiger gives Socha a watch, seeking their assistance. Socha hesitantly agrees to hide the Chiger family for payment, despite Szczepek’s concerns. The Jews accept the offer. Later, at a tavern, they meet with Bortnik from the Ukrainian Auxiliary Police, who praises the Nazis. As they resume work, gunshots signal the start of the Lvov ghetto’s liquidation. Paulina Chiger and others flee into the sewers. Socha, Szczepek, Mundek, and Janek Grossman organise an evacuation, with Janek leaving his family for his mistress, Chai.

Socha is captured by Ukrainian shooters but released by Bortnik. He hides his involvement with Jews from his wife, Wanda, discussing the persecution of Jews with her. Wanda mentions Jesus was Jewish, leading Socha to reflect. Socha discovers his shopkeeper knows about his actions. He descends into the sewers, learning Mania is missing. Negotiating with the Jews, Socha considers accommodating them all underground.

Shortly after, Bortnik confronts Socha about the shopkeeper’s tip-off and pressures him to reveal the Jews’ location. Socha initially complies but later reveals his secret to his wife during dinner, causing panic. Bortnik grows suspicious of Socha’s honesty. Meanwhile, the hidden Jews argue amongst themselves, distrusting Socha. Socha decides not to accept more money from them but contemplates betraying them after Janek escapes. He argues with Szczepek and ends their cooperation.

One winter morning, Socha sees an SS man aiming at Mundek and cleverly kills him with a Jewish smuggler’s help. He later discovers that ten Poles, including Szczepek, were hanged for the SS man’s death. Socha’s new accomplice spots the hiding Jews and plans to inform, prompting Socha to move them to safety under a church. Chaja, pregnant with Janek’s child, joins them and gives birth but suffocates the baby to avoid detection. Mundek and Socha find Janek and his companions dead. Socha agrees to smuggle Mundek to find Mania, but they are shot by guards. Mundek returns to the hideout.

One spring night, heavy rain floods the sewers during Socha’s daughter’s first Holy Communion. Socha rushes to rescue the hidden Jews, followed by the suspicious Bortnik. Socha escapes but loses consciousness in the rising water. He wakes to find Bortnik dead and emerges to the surface. As the Soviets enter Lvov, the surviving Jews emerge from the sewers.

The film concludes with the final caption:

Leopold Socha died on May 12, 1946, saving his daughter from the wheels of a speeding truck of the Red Army. At his funeral, someone said: ‘It is God’s punishment for helping Jews.’ As if we needed God to punish each other.

Cast

• Robert Więckiewicz as Leopold Socha
• Benno Fürmann as Mundek Margulies
• Agnieszka Grochowska as Klara Keller
• Maria Schrader as Paulina Chiger
• Herbert Knaup as Ignacy Chiger
• Kinga Preis as Wanda Socha
• Krzysztof Skonieczny as Szczepek Wróblewski
• Julia Kijowska as Chaja
• Marcin Bosak as Janek Weiss
• Jerzy Walczak as Jakob Berestycki
• Michał Żurawski as Bortnik
• Piotr Głowacki as Jacek Frenkiel
• Zofia Pieczyńska as Stefcia Socha
• Etel Szyc as Szona Grossman
• Andrzej Mastalerz as Sawicki
• Ida Łozińska as Rachela Grossman
• Laura Lo Zito as Irena
• Alexander Levit as Kovalev
• Frank Köbe as Gustav Wilhaus

Production

Dedicated to Marek Edelman, the film is a Polish-German-Canadian coproduction, with a screenplay by Canadian writer David F. Shamoon. In Darkness is based on the book In the Sewers of Lvov (1990) by Robert Marshall. The last survivor of the group, Krystyna Chiger, published a memoir of her experience, The Girl in the Green Sweater: A Life in Holocaust’s Shadow (2008). It was not a source for the film, as Holland was unaware of the book prior to the film’s release. This was the first full-length film shown at the 23rd Polish Film Festival in America in Chicago on the Opening Night Gala.

Release

Awards

In Darkness was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards. Nominated alongside the official Canadian nominee Monsieur Lazhar, it attracted attention in the country for marking the first time in the history of Cinema of Canada that had its two films nominated for the best foreign language film Oscar in the same year. At the International Valladolid Film Festival (SEMINCI), Agnieszka Holland won the award for Best Director. The film garnered several award nominations at the 32nd Genie Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay for Shamoon. It also received the Grand Prix at the 7th Batumi International Art-house Film Festival. The film also received “Golden Camera 300” at ICFF “Manaki Brothers” for best motion pictures.

Production & Filming Details

• Director(s):
  • Agnieszka Holland
• Producer(s):
  • Andrzej Besztak … line producer
  • Leander Carell … producer
  • Wojciech Danowski … executive producer
  • Marc-Daniel Dichant … producer
  • Christoph Fisser … executive producer
  • Anna Maria Jetel … executive producer (as Anna Maria Zündel)
  • Eric Jordan … producer
  • Patrick Knippel … producer
  • Juliusz Machulski … producer
  • Steffen Reuter … producer
  • David F. Shamoon … executive producer
  • Paul Stephens … producer
  • Charlie Woebcken … executive producer (as Dr. Carl Woebken)
• Writer(s):
  • Robert Marshall … (book)
  • David F. Shamoon
• Music:
  • Antoni Lazarkiewicz … (as Antoni Komasa-Lazarkiewicz)
• Cinematography:
  • Jolanta Dylewska … director of photography
• Editor(s):
  • Michal Czarnecki … (as Mike Czarnecki)
• Production:
  • Schmidtz Katze Filmkollektiv
  • The Film Works
  • Polski Instytut Sztuki Filmowej (co-financed by)
  • Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung (MDM) (produced with the support of)
  • Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg (produced with the support of)
  • Deutscher Filmförderfonds (DFFF) (produced with the support of)
  • Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA) (produced with the support of)
  • Hessen-Invest Film (Hessen Invest Film, produced with the support of)
  • The Harold Greenberg Fund (Astral’s Harold Greenberg Fund, produced with the support of)
  • Rogers Telefund (produced with the support of)
  • Mongrel Media (produced with the support of)
  • Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC) (produced with the support of)
  • CinePostproduction (Cine Postproduction, produced with the support of)
  • Agentur Filmissimo (Filmissimo, produced with the support of)
  • Cinegate (produced with the support of)
  • Studio Babelsberg (in co-production with)
  • Studio Filmowe Zebra
  • Urban Post Production (Post Production)
• Distributor(s):
  • Albatros Film (Japan, 2012)(theatrical)
  • Alta Films (Spain, 2013)(theatrical)
  • Conquest Filmes (Brazil, 2012)(theatrical)
  • Eurozoom (France, 2012)(theatrical)
  • Good Films (Italy, 2012)(theatrical)
  • Kino Swiat (Poland, 2011)(theatrical)
  • Metrodome Distribution (United Kingdom, 2012)(theatrical)
  • Mongrel Media (Canada, 2011)(theatrical)
  • NFP Marketing & Distribution (Germany, 2012)(theatrical)
  • Pure (South Korea, 2012)(theatrical)
  • Roadshow Films (Australia, 2012)(theatrical)
  • Sony Pictures Classics (United States, 2011)(subtitled, theatrical)
  • Spentzos Films (Greece, 2012)(theatrical)
  • The Klockworx (Japan, 2012)(theatrical)
  • Vertigo Média Kft. (Hungary, 2013)(theatrical)
  • Wild Bunch Benelux (Netherlands, 2012)(theatrical)
  • A-Film Benelux MSD (Netherlands, 2013)(DVD)
  • BBC Two (United Kingdom, 2017)(TV)
  • Champs Lis (China, 2012)
  • Film Production Partner (Germany, 2022)(video)
  • Film1 (Netherlands, 2014)(limited, TV)
  • Koch Media (Italy, 2013)(Blu-ray)
  • Koch Media (Italy, 2013)(DVD)
  • Metrodome Distribution (United Kingdom, 2012)(DVD)
  • Mongrel Media (Canada, 2012)(DVD)
  • Rai Movie (Italy, 2016)(TV)
  • Roadshow Entertainment (Australia, 2012)(DVD)
  • Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (United States, 2012)(Blu-ray)
  • Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (United States, 2012)(DVD)
  • Warner Home Video (Germany, 2012)(DVD)
• Release Date: 02 September 2011 (Telluride Film Festival, US).
• Running Time: 145 minutes.
• Rating: R.
• Country: Poland.
• Language: Polish.

Video Link(s)