Following the death of his mother in '80s Poland, 12-year-old Wojciech has taken the brunt of his stressed father's frustrations with him; the boy frequently gets punished via belt. Wojciech's father occasionally tries to, instead, bond with him, but soon snaps back to his short-fused habits. Apart from Wojciech's friend Bartek, no one does anything to help. Jump to present day, Wojciech is a furrow-browed journalist who spends most of his spare time spelunking alone. Just like his father, he has serious anger management issues. Fellow caver Tania feels inexplicably attracted to him, but the love of a good woman may not be enough.
Acting
Żebrowski's simmering rage barely contained.
Direction
Piekorz makes caves feel womb-like then suffocating.
Cinematography
Poland's grayness as emotional landscape.
Director
Magdalena Piekorz
Michał Żebrowski
Wojciech Winkler
Jan Frycz
Andrzej Winkler
Agnieszka Grochowska
Tania
Borys Szyc
Bartosz
Alan Andersz
Bartosz, age 12
Leszek Piskorz
Priest
Jan Peszek
Editor-in-Chief
Dorota Kamińska
Tania's Mother
Damian Damięcki
Tania's Father
Tadeusz Bradecki
Doctor
Krystyna Rutkowska-Ulewicz
Mrs. Maciak
Maria Maj
Elder Teacher
Joanna Orleańska
Younger Teacher
Violetta Arlak
Secretary
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Released during Poland's EU accession year, the film interrogated national identity through fractured masculinity when the country was busy rebranding itself.
Piekorz specifically cast spelunkers as extras; the cave community's authentic equipment and jargon came from actual cavers, not consultants.
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