Death of the President

Death of a President recounts the events surrounding the election and assassination of Gabriel Narutowicz (Zdzisław Mrozowski), the first president of the Second Polish Republic. The year is 1922. Poland’s political atmosphere grows more charged by the day, ideological conflicts intensify, social divisions harden, and a wave of hatred builds against the newly elected president. In a manner that is credible, cool and almost documentary-like, Kawalerowicz traces the successive stages leading to the assassination carried out by the fanatic Eligiusz Niewiadomski (Marek Walczewski). This approach allows the viewer to interpret both the events and the characters’ motivations for themselves. The film’s restrained form, superb performances, and meticulous attention to detail in recreating the atmosphere of the period all play a crucial role. Death of a President remains a deeply moving and strikingly relevant work, reminding us how easily democracy can be destabilised by extreme emotions and the collapse of dialogue.

Jerzy Kawalerowicz (1922–2007) – Polish film director and screenwriter. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts and completed a course in the rudiments of filming in Kraków. As a student, he worked as an assistant director on the first Polish post-war films, including Forbidden Songs by Leonard Buczkowski (1946). From 1951 he worked as an independent director. His feature debut, The Village Mill (1951), received a special award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, which enabled him to continue making feature films. In 1966 his Pharaoh was nominated for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. Kawalerowicz’s work is marked by exceptional directorial precision and a strong sensitivity to visual composition. In his films he explores human nature and the individual’s place in a world shaped by psychological and political forces. Today, his films are regarded as classics of Polish cinema.

7th New Horizons IFF Catalogue

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