Hands Up! (1981)

Original title

Ręce do góry

Directed by

Jerzy Skolimowski

Genre

drama film

Country

Poland

Runtime

1h 16m

Rating

5.6 of 10 from 12 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

A man looks back at his past involvement with a group of friends during a repressive era in Poland. The film contrasts past memories with present reflections to examine political oppression and personal guilt.

reflectivebleakslow-burnunsettlingcerebralpoliticalnostalgic

What happens

Hands Up! (Polish: Ręce do góry) is a Polish drama film directed by Jerzy Skolimowski. It is the third of a series of semi-autobiographical films in which Skolimowski himself plays his alter ego Andrzej Leszczyc. Originally filmed in 1967, Hands Up! was banned at the time in communist Poland because it critiqued Nazism in Poland, the Stalinist past in post-World War II Poland, and the socio-political climate in sixties Poland. The communist authorities not only banned the film, but also effectively sent Skolimowski into a lengthy exile. It wasn't until 14 years after the original film was made that Polish censors allowed it to be re-edited with recent footage as an introduction. This released version was screened out of competition at the 1981 Cannes Film Festival. However, it was shelved in Poland and not screened there until 1985. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

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