On the last day of World War II, Polish exiles and the occupying Soviet forces confront each other over the future of the country. In this tense environment, we find a young Polish soldier named Maciek, who has been ordered to assassinate the new Soviet-friendly commissar…

A taut political thriller (and candid glimpse behind the Iron Curtain), Andrzej Wajda’s stunning, emotional masterpiece caused a stir in his native Poland and established his place in world cinema. Reportedly, the film is a favorite of Martin Scorsese, who used it as inspiration for The Departed.