To Kill a Priest

Agnieszka Holland directs this sincere, moving political drama about Poland in 1981, and the birth of the Solidarity movement that advocated freedom, gaining a fervent following that greatly threatened the government. The film focuses on two men--Father Alek (Christopher Lambert), a young priest who preaches human rights and supports the outlawed Solidarity union; and Stefan (Ed Harris), a communist officer whose philosophies are on the opposite end of the spectrum. As the story unfolds, Stefan's less-than-noble intentions become painfully evident, his hatred for the sensitive, beloved Father Alek stemming from an internal demon that threatens to explode at any moment. When his superior officer (Joss Ackland) gives him approval to handle the situation however he chooses, he teams up with Feliks (Tim Roth) and Igor (Timothy Spall) to track down the priest and another sympathetic supporter of the movement, Josef (Pete Postlethwaite). Based on the true story of Father Jerzy Popielusko. (official distributor synopsis)