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Andrzej Wajda’s ‘The Promised Land’ – 50 Years On

10.02.2025 17:30
An exhibition commemorating the 50th anniversary of the premiere of ‘The Promised Land’, one of the masterpieces of Polish cinema, is set to open on February 14 at the Museum of Cinematography in Łódź.
On the right, an archival photo of director Andrzej Wajda on the set of The Promised Land, his adaptation of Władysław Reymonts novel. On the left, actors Wojciech Pszoniak (Moryc Welt), Daniel Olbrychski (Karol Borowiecki), and Andrzej Seweryn (Maks) on the films premiere day, February 21, 1974.
On the right, an archival photo of director Andrzej Wajda on the set of 'The Promised Land', his adaptation of Władysław Reymont’s novel. On the left, actors Wojciech Pszoniak (Moryc Welt), Daniel Olbrychski (Karol Borowiecki), and Andrzej Seweryn (Maks) on the film’s premiere day, February 21, 1974.Photo: PAP/Reprodukcja/Andrzej Zbraniecki

Directed by Andrzej Wajda, the film is based on the novel of the same title by Nobel Prize-winning Polish writer Władysław Reymont.

Its protagonists are three entrepreneurs - a Pole, a German, and a Jew - who join forces to build a cotton factory, hoping to make a fortune in late 19th-century Łódź, a city seen as a promised land of free enterprise.

Opublikowany przez Muzeum Kinematografii Wtorek, 14 stycznia 2025

The exhibition will feature Wajda’s personal notes from before and during the filming process, along with costumes, props, stills from the movie set, and audio recordings of lead actors and production team members.

Visitors will also be able to watch excerpts from the film, as well as archival footage documenting its premiere and screenings at various festivals.

What gives the exhibition a special significance is its location: the Museum of Cinematography is housed in the former residence of local industrialist Karol Scheibler, where some scenes from The Promised Land were filmed.

The Promised Land was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Foreign Language Film category. In the first 25 years after its premiere, it attracted an audience of 7.3 million.

In 2013, American director Martin Scorsese included the film in his festival of Polish cinematic masterpieces, and in 2015, Wajda’s film topped a poll conducted by the Museum of Cinematography ranking the greatest Polish films of all time.

The Half a Century of "The Promised Land" exhibition opens on February 14, 2025, at the Museum of Cinematography in Łódź and will run until May 4, with a special vernissage on February 13 at 5:00 PM. The Half a Century of "The Promised Land" exhibition opens on February 14, 2025, at the Museum of Cinematography in Łódź and will run until May 4, with a special vernissage on February 13 at 5:00 PM.

(m k/ m p)