The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation is proud to partner with the creators of the film “Strawman” which will be screened at the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington DC. “Strawman” tells the story of Bronek, an agent of the secret police in Communist Poland. Bronek is involved in a long-term surveillance operation targeted at Bishop Karol Wojtyła, the future Pope John Paul II. Bronek is in fact an anti-hero, an ambitious opportunist. Motivated by his desire for money and promotion, he repeatedly crosses moral boundaries, and becomes obsessed with his invigilation of Wojtyła.
The film is a compelling, original and intimate exploration of the dark period of Polish history. It skillfully uses generic tropes of an espionage thriller to tell the story of a man tasked with a morally indefensible task, who gradually succumbs to evil, loneliness and despair.
WRITTEN BY: Andrzej Gołda
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Adam Bajerski PSC
MUSIC: Zygmunt Konieczny
PRODUCTION DESING: Ryszard Melliwa
COSTUME DESIGN: Elżbieta Radke, Zuzanna Glińska
MAKE UP: Agnieszka Jońca, Monika Czyż
SOUND: Krzysztof Jastrząb
EDITED BY: Krzysztof Szpetmański
CASTING BY: Krzysztof Łączak
CAST: Marianna Zydek, Mateusz Więcławek, Zuzanna Lit, Zbigniew Stryj, Adrian Brząkała
PRODUCTION: Wytwórnia Filmów Dokumentalnych i Fabularnych
PRODUCERS: Zbigniew Domagalski, Włodzimierz Niderhaus [#RAMKA]
CO-PRODUCED by: Telewizja Polska, Krakowskie Biuro Festiwalowe
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Zbigniew Domagalski
PRODUCTION MANAGER: Leszek Pieszko
CO-FINANCED BY: Polski Instytut Sztuki Filmowej
DISTRIBUTED BY: Telewizja Polska
