David Morgan

This is my favorite Polish film, not simply because it is a remorseless picture of Stalinism, but because it highlights the trauma of 50 years of economic, moral and emotional suffering the Polish nation went through without many of its people losing their basic humanity.

It's an amazing film since it was made only 12 years after the events in the same place with many of the original witnesses participating in it. It depicts the quiet dignity and devout Catholicism of this great nation. My only criticism would be the film is a bit long and some scenes drag. Nevertheless, I spent three years in Katowice and the film definitely caught the unique nature of this mining community under duress.