Be Aware/Repremieres of the film

This footage has not been shown to the public for 36 years. “Be aware” is a 90-minute documentary dedicated to the First National Congress of Delegates of the NSZZ “Solidarność”, made from materials hidden in martial law filmed in Gdansk in the autumn of 1981. Today it is a unique testimony to one of the most important events in the history of Solidarity.

Be Aware | documentary | 90 min | dir. Krzysztof Tchórzewski, Poland, 1981—1990

Repremiera, what does it mean? A repremiere is a re-premiere. This is a rare opportunity to watch a film whose fate was interrupted by martial law, and after years returned to Gdansk. The screening is possible thanks to the finding of the material by a film expert from Łódź and the complicated process of restoration and digitization of the film tape, for which great gratitude to the National Film Archive — Audiovisual Institute.

introduction | Arkadiusz Bilecki, Faculty of Science and Collections ECS

— The materials were created in 1981 for the Karol Irzykowski Film Studio — explained Dr. Emil Sowiński, a film researcher from the University of Lodz, during the scientific conference “45 years of Solidarity” at the ECS last year. — The introduction of martial law prevented the completion of the film. The tapes were hidden, and returned to the assembly only in 1989. The first version of the document, entitled “Station I National Congress of Delegates”, has not survived.

During the inquiry, however, Dr. Sowiński came across a version dated 1990 entitled “Be Aware”. According to the documents, it was shown to the public once, in 1990, during the 2nd National Congress of Delegates of the NSZZ “Solidarność” in Hala Olivia in Gdańsk. Now “Be Aware” will be visible in the ECS.

The camera accompanies the participants in both parts of the congress. We watch the speeches of the trade unionists, the press conference, the mass, but also the scenes in front of the hall — the camera tracks people's reactions, the microphone catches the conversations, the viewer experiences the daily rhythm of the event. There are not only trade unionists on the screen. There is a speech by Andrzej Wajda, Jan Józef Szczepański, and the actress Halina Mikołajska appears, offering support to the pre-August opposition. A particularly interesting testimony is a conversation with Marian Terlecki about the activities of the Solidarity Press Information Office and photos from the Solidarność television editing room.

— The presentation of the film is possible thanks to the support of the National Film Archive — Audiovisual Institute, which specially for this repremiere screening on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the 1st KZD carried out a complicated process of restoration and digitization of the film tape — explains Arkadiusz Bilecki from ECS, responsible for film collections. — We thank Filmoteka for this support and making it possible to show u.

partner seanju | National Film Archive — Audiovisual Institute in Warsaw