Polish Requiem

Heavy, gloomy, compelling music. That is the thread of Polish Requiem. The direct reason for the composition of this piece of music, was Lech Walesa's request to Krzysztof Penderecki to write a composition for the unveiling of the Solidarity monument. This monument is dedicated to the victims of the Gdansk riots in 1970. Later, the idea crystallized out into a composition, dedicated to all Poles that had tragically died during Penderecki's life. The sorrow, caused by the icy political winds that blew across the Polish lowlands and were felt to the bone by all Poles, is beautifully transposed into music by Penderecki. In the film, the music is completed with sometimes shocking images from World War II, and with conversations with Penderecki who tells about the experiences underlying the composition. This documentary not only clarifies, but also broadens the composition into a new emotional and artistic experience.
As a mirror of the Polish soul, the Requiem shows not only a gloomy aspect but also an optimistic one. In spite of all the suffering, the Poles always stayed in a hopeful mood for the future. As did Krzysztof Penderecki: "We, Poles, in particular always live as it were - maybe history doesn't justify it - live in hope... I found a place in the text from the Requiem which allowed me to follow an optimistical chord, after all. And it was a particular time when it seemed to us that we could achieve somthing. We didn't manage it then, but this wasn't our last chance. I think we'll do it one day". (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)