Description | The Promised Land (Polish: Ziemia obiecana) is a 1975 Polish drama film directed by Andrzej Wajda, based on a novel by Władysław Reymont. Set in the industrial city of Łódź, The Promised Land tells the story of a Pole, a German, and a Jew struggling to build a factory in the raw world of 19th century capitalism. Wajda shows in his film a shocking image of the city, with its dirty and dangerous factories and ostentatiously opulent residences of the industrialists. Visually stunning (cinematography!!), The Promised Land vividly draws the characters of the three friends and their often ruthless pursuit of fortune. By concentrating on three individuals, Wajda is able to reflect Poland's 19th century ascension from ancient feudalism to modern capitalism. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and appeared in Martin Scorsese Presents: Masterpieces of Polish Cinema. The Promised Land will be introduced by Prof. Kat Dziwirek who’ll present her native Łódź, a city which experienced in the 19th century such a rapid growth in textile industry and in population that almost overnight it became a multicultural metropolis. |
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