Hidden Treasures

Colour, 35mm
Poland, 2000, 54 min
Section: Tribute to Krzysztof Zanussi

Synopsis

Róża, once a member of a rich and aristocratic Polish family, returns from French exile to the place where she grew up. At the ill-prospering farm, however, she is accepted with hesitation. Even grandfather, Róża’s old friend from childhood, refuses to see her. Only a granddaughter, the lively Jola is pleased by the visit – especially after Róża invites her for a dream trip to Paris. There for the first time Jola has a chance to see the complex relationship between property, social standing and ordinary human pride. This time, however, Róża hasn’t come to Poland to help fix up the broken-down home for retirees that used to be her family’s home: she’s come to dig for the treasure which her family, fearing confiscation, buried at the end of the war. But the valuables are gone. The old woman thinks she knows who has taken them but also knows who can return the lost treasure to those who need it most. . . . A powerful acting performance, captivating music by Wojciech Kilar and the compelling ‘moral’ of Zanussi’s story make this ‘little’ film into a wonderful viewing experience.