While the killing itself appears to be a case of unmotivated sadism, the case is soon deemed political when reported on the BBC World Service. This leads to a concerted effort by the authorities to distort legal procedure and falsify the evidence through blackmail and physical intimidation. Very much a film in the tradition of Andrzej Wajda’s Man of Marble

, Jan P Matuszyński’s second feature provides a penetrating insight into the realities of life in Polish society following the imposition of martial law. Its compelling narrative and strong performances document a critical period in Poland’s history, while making a crucial statement on the necessity for an independent rule of law – a principle that can no longer be taken for granted in supposedly democratic countries.