BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 CALSCALE:GREGORIAN PRODID:adamgibbons/ics METHOD:PUBLISH X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VEVENT UID:27509@offbeat.amsterdam SUMMARY:Amsterdam Polish Film Festival: Man of Marble / Man of Iron DTSTAMP:20260917T200055Z DTSTART:20261024T123000Z DESCRIPTION:A screening of two classics from Andrzej Wajda: Man of Marble a nd Man of Iron.\nInbetween Katarzyna Ślesicka and Kris van Heuckelom will reflect on how how the\npropaganda is portrayed in Wajda’s film as a manip ulative\, myth-making machine.\n\nMan of Marble (1976\, 165 min)\nA young filmmaker sets out to uncover the fate of Mateusz Birkut\, a\nonce-celebra ted bricklayer who became a socialist icon during Poland’s Stalinist\nera before disappearing from public life. As the investigation unfolds through \narchival footage\, interviews\, and official records\, the gap between s tate\npropaganda and lived experience becomes increasingly apparent. Blend ing\npolitical inquiry with self-reflection\, Man of Marble is both a grip ping mystery\nand a landmark critique of power and historical mythmaking. Andrzej Wajda’s\nmasterpiece captures the complexities of postwar Poland w hile affirming cinema’s\nability to challenge official narratives and reco ver forgotten lives.\n\nTalk: Reflections on propaganda and truth\nHow is propaganda in Wajda’s films portrayed as a manipulative\, myth-making\nmac hine? Wajda demonstrates how easily filmmakers\, and the state officials c ould\nproduce documentaries to serve political purpose. And that was a lon g time\nbefore AI generated content. A very current topic.\n\nFilm: Man of Iron (1981\, 157 min)\nIt is August 1980\, in the Gdańsk shipyard the str ikes had just begun. Man of\nIron follows a disillusioned journalist assig ned to discredit Maciej Tomczyk\, a\nprominent worker and opposition activ ist. As he pieces together Tomczyk’s story\,\nhis own assumptions begin to unravel\, reflecting the profound social and\npolitical transformation un folding across Poland. Interweaving fictional\ncharacters with historical figures and using documentary footage\, Andrzej Wajda\ncreates a portrait of solidarity\, courage\, and the struggle for freedom. Awarded\nthe Palme d’Or at the 1981 Cannes Film Festival\, Man of Iron stands as a\npolitica l drama and an enduring testament to the power of collective action.\n\nAb out Amsterdam Polish Film Festival\nThe 5th edition of the Amsterdam Polis h Film Festival\n[https://debalie.nl/andrzej-wajda-past-present-possible/] is entirely dedicated\nto Andrzej Wajda\, the renowned Polish director wh o received an Academy Award in\n2000 for his lifetime achievement.\n\nPurc hase a ticket for the entire festival\n[https://tickets.debalie.nl/nl-NL/P ackage/Details/Amsterdam-Polish-Film-Festival-22-okt-2028279] URL:https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/amsterdam-polish-film-festival-man-of-m arble-man-of-iron GEO:52.3630433;4.8828596 LOCATION:De Balie - Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen 10\, 1017 RR Amsterdam STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:amsterdam-centrum,documentary,festivals,film,leidseplein,stories ,talk X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

A screening of two classics from An drzej Wajda: Man of Marble and Man of Iron. Inbetween Katarzyna Ślesicka a nd Kris van Heuckelom will reflect on how how the propaganda is portrayed in Wajda’s film as a manipulative, myth-making machine.

Man of Marble (1976, 165 min)
A young filmmaker sets out to uncover the fate of Mateusz Birkut, a once-celebrated bricklayer who b ecame a socialist icon during Poland’s Stalinist era before disappearing f rom public life. As the investigation unfolds through archival footage, in terviews, and official records, the gap between state propaganda and lived experience becomes increasingly apparent. Blending political inquiry with self-reflection, Man of Marble is both a gripping mystery and a landmark critique of power and historical mythmaking. Andrzej Wajda’s masterpiece c aptures the complexities of postwar Poland while affirming cinema’s abilit y to challenge official narratives and recover forgotten lives.

Talk: Reflections on propaganda and truth
How is propagan da in Wajda’s films portrayed as a manipulative, myth-making machine? Wajd a demonstrates how easily filmmakers, and the state officials could produc e documentaries to serve political purpose. And that was a long time befor e AI generated content. A very current topic.

Film: Man of Iron (1981, 157 min)
It is August 1980, in the Gdańsk shipyard the strikes had just begun. Man of Iron follows a disillusioned journalis t assigned to discredit Maciej Tomczyk, a prominent worker and opposition activist. As he pieces together Tomczyk’s story, his own assumptions begin to unravel, reflecting the profound social and political transformation u nfolding across Poland. Interweaving fictional characters with historical figures and using documentary footage, Andrzej Wajda creates a portrait of solidarity, courage, and the struggle for freedom. Awarded the Palme d’Or at the 1981 Cannes Film Festival, Man of Iron stands as a political drama and an enduring testament to the power of collective action.

About Amsterdam Polish Film Festival
The 5th editio n of the Amsterdam Polish Film Festival is entirely dedicated to Andrz ej Wajda, the renowned Polish director who received an Academy Award in 20 00 for his lifetime achievement.

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