In Darkness (2011)

A dramatization of one man's rescue of Jewish refugees in the Nazi-occupied Polish city of Lvov.

Director:

Agnieszka Holland

Writers:

Robert Marshall (book), David F. Shamoon

Stars:

Robert Wieckiewicz, Benno Fürmann, Agnieszka Grochowska

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 6 wins & 15 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Wieckiewicz	...	Leopold Socha
Benno Fürmann	...	Mundek Margulies
Agnieszka Grochowska	...	Klara Keller
Maria Schrader	...	Paulina Chiger
Herbert Knaup	...	Ignacy Chiger
Marcin Bosak	...	Yanek Weiss
Julia Kijowska	...	Chaja
Jerzy Walczak	...	Jacob Berestycki
Oliwer Stanczak	...	Pawel Chiger
Milla Bankowicz	...	Krystyna Chiger
Krzysztof Skonieczny	...	Szczepek
Kinga Preis	...	Wanda Socha
Aleksander Mincer	...	Szlomo Landsberg (as Olek Mincer)
Piotr Glowacki	...	Icek Frenkiel
Maria Semotiuk	...	Mania Keller

Storyline

IN DARKNESS tells the true story of Leopold Socha who risks his own life to save a dozen people from certain death. Initially only interested in his own good, the thief and burglar hides Jewish refugees for 14 months in the sewers of the Nazi-occupied town of Lvov (former Poland).

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Plot Keywords:

refugee | jewish | sewer | thief | husband wife relationship | 

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, disturbing images, sexuality, nudity and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [jp]

Country:

Poland Germany Canada

Language:

Polish Ukrainian Yiddish German

Release Date:

5 January 2012 (Poland)

Also Known As:

A város alatt

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$27,413 (USA) (10 February 2012)

Gross:

$1,038,733 (USA) (11 May 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Schmidtz Katze Filmkollektiv, Film Works, The, Polski Instytut Sztuki Filmowej

Technical Specs

Runtime:

145 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Poland's candidate to compete for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2012 Academy Awards.

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Goofs

When Poldek is taking a bath, a scar from a smallpox vaccine is clearly visible on his left arm. Most of the world's populace wasn't vaccinated before the WHO Smallpox Vaccination program began in 1967.

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Connections

Featured in Maltin on Movies: The Vow (2012)

User Reviews

There is bright light in the darkness

I watched this movie a few days back and I'm still contemplating what I saw. It took me a while until I decided to watch it. I thought I saw enough movies about The Second World War and about The Holocaust in particular. But after watching it I was almost ashamed that I could think like this. It's not like I'm ignorant, I just think that movies about war are always too simple – so I prefer to read books rather than watch movies. But this movie is different. I was touched very deeply and I don't regret any second spent on watching it.

The script is focused around the characters and maybe that is the strongest part of it. The war is only the background. We see how people can change and how they act when the tension around is almost unbearable. We see the brightest and the darkest side of humanity. And maybe what is most important here, we see common people. Without guns, without any special abilities – true, honest characters with all their doubts, needs and desires. Only the circumstances are not common, so our characters try to deal with them. The word "our" characters is not an accident. I felt very close to these characters – bad or good, it didn't matter – they were almost naked in their emotions. And I think it's very true: in the horror of the war you don't have the time or the strength to hide behind some kind of curtain. No matter to what God we pray, what language we speak, in the end we are all human – and it's our choice, what we make of our humanity.

Preferably watch it in the movie theater. Only then it is possible to experience the grand play of lights and the perfect work of the camera. In this movie also this aspect has its strong impact on the viewer.

I would say while watching this movie, I felt like I was in the very same place as our characters. It's very rare for me to have such feelings, so for me it's the best proof that this movie is in some way exceptional. I thought how I would act in situations the characters are in and I'm glad that I haven't been and I hope I never will be.

And I keep thinking that I'm very thankful for the creators, producers and the whole crew for this movie!