Zgoda

National Socialists, together with members of the Polish resistance are the abused prisoners under the supervision of Bolsheviks and a Jewish officer, a bold reversal of the typical concentration camp framework in which the protagonists’ sense of sympathy and identification are complex. These circumstances generate an atmosphere of hate, driven by a desire for retribution and a sadistic thirst for power, which time and again escalate. The focal point is formed by a trio whose friendship had seemingly remained unaffected by the turmoil around them. Newly gained power, suppressed emotions and the horrors of camp life soon lead to a dramatic escalation of affairs however.

The film’s rigorous yet haunting camera work serves to intensify the terrifying atmosphere of the camp, giving the viewer a sense of the protagonists’ desperation. Director Maciej Sobieszczański offers a sensitive, authentic portrayal of three individuals’ strained emotions, as they fluctuate between hope and horror. DJ