Decalogue VIII
Encyclopedia
The Decalogue - VIII is the eighth part of the television series The Decalogue
by Polish director Krzysztof Kieślowski
, connected to the eighth imperative of the Ten Commandments
, "thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor."
Holocaust survivor (Teresa Marczewska
) confronts an ethics professor (Maria Kościałowska) who once refused to help her on the basis of this commandment.
Czesłav "Root" Janicki
. Elzbieta (Teresa Marczewska
), a woman in her forties, who is from New York
, is visiting the University of Warsaw
. She goes to Zofia's lecture of ethics. They are acquaintances from the USA, Elzbieta translates Zofia's works and the latter is glad to introduce her friend to the students.
The professor continues her lecture, which consists of the students posing ethical cases to be discussed in class. One of the students poses the case of a doctor and a woman who needs to have an abortion
. Elzbieta gives an example on the true-life tale set in 1943 during World War II
: a 6 year old Jewish girl whose parents were sent to the ghetto
was promised to get help from some willing Catholic family, unfortunately the woman from the family refuses to provide the help and sends the girl away just before curfew.
Zofia figures out that Elzbieta herself was the small girl, left to uncertain fate since she is the lady who refused to help her. Her initial explanation that by lying about Elzbieta's baptism would break their duty of not lying is not enough. Zofia asks Elzbieta to dinner and she explains that the reason why she refused her help was very mundane: Zofia's husband was an officer of the Polish resistance
and they were told that the invading Germans were posing fake Jews to hunt the underground and anyone who helped Jews. Czesłav Janicki enters and shows Zofia a series of German Reich Flugpost Polarfahrt 1931 Zeppelin
that he recently acquired.
Zofia has had difficulties to live with what she did since the war. Elzbieta asks to be taken to the family that had offered to help her but when she gets there, the man refuses to speak about the war. Zofia tells her that he suffered a lot during the war and after it and that is why he will not say anything.
The story was based on an experience of the filmmakers' mutual friend, the journalist Hanna Krall
.
In other roles:
Wojciech Asinski, Marek Kepinski,
Janusz Mond, Krzysztof Rojek, Wiktor Sanejko,
Ewa Skibinska, Hanna Szcerkowska, Anna Zagorska
The Decalogue
The Decalogue is a 1989 Polish television drama series directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski and co-written by Kieślowski with Krzysztof Piesiewicz, with music by Zbigniew Preisner...
by Polish director Krzysztof Kieślowski
Krzysztof Kieslowski
Krzysztof Kieślowski was an Academy Award nominated influential Polish film director and screenwriter, known internationally for The Double Life of Veronique and his film cycles The Decalogue and Three Colors.-Early life:...
, connected to the eighth imperative of the Ten Commandments
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
, "thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor."
Holocaust survivor (Teresa Marczewska
Teresa Marczewska
Teresa Marczewska is a Polish actress and the wife of the Polish film director, Wojciech Marczewski.- Selected filmography :* Who Never Lived * Quo vadis * Weiser...
) confronts an ethics professor (Maria Kościałowska) who once refused to help her on the basis of this commandment.
Plot
Warsaw, Poland, around year 1985. Zofia (Maria Koscialkowska) is an elderly professor at the university who is very active and has a strong friendship with stamp collectorStamp collecting
Stamp collecting is the collecting of postage stamps and related objects. It is one of the world's most popular hobbies, with the number of collectors in the United States alone estimated to be over 20 million.- Collecting :...
Czesłav "Root" Janicki
Decalogue X
The Decalogue - X is a tenth part of the television series The Decalogue by Polish director Krzysztof Kieślowski, connected to the tenth imperative of the Ten Commandments: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods, nor anything that is your neighbor's....
. Elzbieta (Teresa Marczewska
Teresa Marczewska
Teresa Marczewska is a Polish actress and the wife of the Polish film director, Wojciech Marczewski.- Selected filmography :* Who Never Lived * Quo vadis * Weiser...
), a woman in her forties, who is from New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, is visiting the University of Warsaw
University of Warsaw
The University of Warsaw is the largest university in Poland and one of the most prestigious, ranked as best Polish university in 2010 and 2011...
. She goes to Zofia's lecture of ethics. They are acquaintances from the USA, Elzbieta translates Zofia's works and the latter is glad to introduce her friend to the students.
The professor continues her lecture, which consists of the students posing ethical cases to be discussed in class. One of the students poses the case of a doctor and a woman who needs to have an abortion
Decalogue II
The Decalogue - Two is a second part of a television series The Decalogue by Polish director Krzysztof Kieślowski, connected to the second imperative of the Ten Commandments: "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain."-Plot:The episode focusses on two persons: an elderly doctor ,...
. Elzbieta gives an example on the true-life tale set in 1943 during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
: a 6 year old Jewish girl whose parents were sent to the ghetto
Warsaw Ghetto
The Warsaw Ghetto was the largest of all Jewish Ghettos in Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II. It was established in the Polish capital between October and November 15, 1940, in the territory of General Government of the German-occupied Poland, with over 400,000 Jews from the vicinity...
was promised to get help from some willing Catholic family, unfortunately the woman from the family refuses to provide the help and sends the girl away just before curfew.
Zofia figures out that Elzbieta herself was the small girl, left to uncertain fate since she is the lady who refused to help her. Her initial explanation that by lying about Elzbieta's baptism would break their duty of not lying is not enough. Zofia asks Elzbieta to dinner and she explains that the reason why she refused her help was very mundane: Zofia's husband was an officer of the Polish resistance
Polish resistance movement in World War II
The Polish resistance movement in World War II, with the Home Army at its forefront, was the largest underground resistance in all of Nazi-occupied Europe, covering both German and Soviet zones of occupation. The Polish defence against the Nazi occupation was an important part of the European...
and they were told that the invading Germans were posing fake Jews to hunt the underground and anyone who helped Jews. Czesłav Janicki enters and shows Zofia a series of German Reich Flugpost Polarfahrt 1931 Zeppelin
Decalogue X
The Decalogue - X is a tenth part of the television series The Decalogue by Polish director Krzysztof Kieślowski, connected to the tenth imperative of the Ten Commandments: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods, nor anything that is your neighbor's....
that he recently acquired.
Zofia has had difficulties to live with what she did since the war. Elzbieta asks to be taken to the family that had offered to help her but when she gets there, the man refuses to speak about the war. Zofia tells her that he suffered a lot during the war and after it and that is why he will not say anything.
The story was based on an experience of the filmmakers' mutual friend, the journalist Hanna Krall
Hanna Krall
Hanna Krall is a Polish writer.-Childhood:Krall is of Jewish origin. During World War II she lost some of her close relatives. She survived the war only because she was hidden from the Nazis.-Journalism:...
.
Cast
- Maria Koscialkowska - Zofia
- Teresa MarczewskaTeresa MarczewskaTeresa Marczewska is a Polish actress and the wife of the Polish film director, Wojciech Marczewski.- Selected filmography :* Who Never Lived * Quo vadis * Weiser...
- Elżbieta - Artur BarciśArtur BarciśArtur Barciś is a Polish actor. He appeared in the television series Aby do świtu... in 1992. and Kieślowski's "Dekalog"-References:...
- young man - Tadeusz Łomnicki - tailor
- Bronislaw Pawlik - philatelist, Zofia's neighbour
In other roles:
- Marian Opania,
Wojciech Asinski, Marek Kepinski,
Janusz Mond, Krzysztof Rojek, Wiktor Sanejko,
Ewa Skibinska, Hanna Szcerkowska, Anna Zagorska