7.3/10
1,090
1 user 16 critic

The Illumination (1973)

Iluminacja (original title)
| Drama | December 1978 (USA)
The Illumination Poster
Tabloid life of a physicist; his work, his love life and his quest for the meaning beyond.

Director:

Krzysztof Zanussi

Writer:

Krzysztof Zanussi

Stars:

Stanislaw Latallo, Monika Dzienisiewicz-Olbrychska, Malgorzata Pritulak | See full cast & crew »
Reviews
4 wins & 1 nomination. See more awards »

Photos

Add Image
See all 6 photos »
Learn more

More Like This 













◄ Prev 6 Next 6 ►

Next »
Camouflage (1977)
Comedy | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.5/10 X  

A group of students are spending the summer vacation at a university camp studying the science of linguistics. One of the camp directors, Jaroslaw, is a young professor who prefers the ... See full summary »

Director: Krzysztof Zanussi
Stars: Piotr Garlicki, Zbigniew Zapasiewicz, Christine Paul
Next »
The Structure of Crystal (1969)
Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.3/10 X  

Jan and Marek used to study physics together but after graduation their paths were different. Jan got married and moved to the countryside. Marek stayed in Warsaw and now wants to persuade Jan to follow his path.

Director: Krzysztof Zanussi
Stars: Barbara Wrzesinska, Jan Myslowicz, Andrzej Zarnecki
Next »
The Constant Factor (1980)
Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.2/10 X  

A young man is facing death of his mother. A petty corruption at his job leads to him being framed and robbed of his only desire to climb mountains in Himalayas, as his father did and where he died.

Director: Krzysztof Zanussi
Stars: Tadeusz Bradecki, Zofia Mrozowska, Malgorzata Zajaczkowska
Next »
Family Life (1971)
Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7/10 X  

A young engineer is called back home, which he had left years before. The house is a crumbling, old mansion in which his father still works, illegally distilling vodka, much of which he ... See full summary »

Director: Krzysztof Zanussi
Stars: Maja Komorowska, Halina Mikolajska, Jan Kreczmar
Next »
Life As a Fatal Sexually Transmitted Disease (2000)
Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.1/10 X  

A cynical doctor, who is dying of cancer, would like to know the meaning of his life. He has to fight for it or just get ready for death.

Director: Krzysztof Zanussi
Stars: Zbigniew Zapasiewicz, Krystyna Janda, Tadeusz Bradecki
Next »
Spirala (1978)
Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7/10 X  

A strange arrogant tourist arrives at the Morskie Oko mountain shelter. Next morning, in spite of danger, he climbs alone and the search for him begins.

Director: Krzysztof Zanussi
Stars: Jan Nowicki, Maja Komorowska, Zofia Kucówna
Next »
Eroica (1958)
Comedy | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.6/10 X  

Two sketches covering episodes from the World War II. In the first novel, "Scherzo alla polacca", a shrewd son, trying to preserve his skin, ultimately becomes a hero and finds a reason for... See full summary »

Director: Andrzej Munk
Stars: Edward Dziewonski, Barbara Polomska, Ignacy Machowski
Next »
A Year of the Quiet Sun (1984)
Drama | Romance | War
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.3/10 X  

Shortly after World War II an American soldier (Norman) and a Polish refugee (Emilia) fall in deep love. Eventually he will return to the U.S. and both expect that she will soon follow him.... See full summary »

Director: Krzysztof Zanussi
Stars: Maja Komorowska, Scott Wilson, Hanna Skarzanka
Next »
The Third Part of the Night (1971)
Drama | Horror | War
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.4/10 X  

Set during the occupation of Poland during World War II. Some German soldiers, slaughter a woman, her son and daughter-in-law. The husband and his father escape by being in the forest. The ... See full summary »

Director: Andrzej Zulawski
Stars: Malgorzata Braunek, Leszek Teleszynski, Jan Nowicki
Next »
Dyketactics (2014)
Short
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 5.8/10 X  

An experimental film from Barbara Hammer about lesbian couples.

Director: Barbara Hammer
Stars: Barbara Hammer
Next »
Before Summer Ends (2017)
Documentary | Comedy
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.5/10 X  

After five years of study in Paris, Arash hasn't adapted to French life and decides to return home to Iran. Hoping to change his mind, two friends drag him away on a final trip across France.

Director: Maryam Goormaghtigh
Stars: Arash, Ashkan, Hossein
Next »
A Decent Woman (2016)
Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 5.9/10 X  

A housemaid, working in an exclusive gated community in the outskirts of Buenos Aires, embarks on a journey of sexual and mental liberation in a nudist swinger-club boarding the high security walls.

Director: Lukas Valenta Rinner
Stars: Iride Mockert, Andrea Strenitz, Martín Shanly
Edit

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Stanislaw Latallo ... Franciszek Retman
Monika Dzienisiewicz-Olbrychska ... Agnieszka
Malgorzata Pritulak ... Malgorzata
Jan Skotnicki Jan Skotnicki ... Chory the Mathematician
Edward Zebrowski ... Physician
Wlodzimierz Zonn Wlodzimierz Zonn ... University Dean (as Prof. Dr. Wlodzimierz Zonn)
Bogdan Mielnik Bogdan Mielnik ... Himself (as Bogdan Mielnik PhD)
Wladyslaw Turski Wladyslaw Turski ... Himself (as Wladyslaw Turski PhD)
Wlodzimierz Zawadzki Wlodzimierz Zawadzki ... Assistant (as Wlodzimierz Zawadski PhD)
Lukasz Turski Lukasz Turski ... Himself (as Dr. Lukasz Turski)
Jadwiga Colonna-Walewska Jadwiga Colonna-Walewska ... Franciszek's Mother (as J. Colonna-Walewska)
K. Ernst K. Ernst
Irena Horecka Irena Horecka ... Sick Mother (as I. Horecka)
J. Illasiewicz J. Illasiewicz
J. Klamerus J. Klamerus
See full cast »
Edit

Storyline

Tabloid life of a physicist; his work, his love life and his quest for the meaning beyond.

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

physicist | 1960s | poland | one word title | written by director | See All (16) »

Genres:

Drama

Certificate:

See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

Add content advisory for parents »
Edit

Details

Country:

Poland

Language:

Polish

Release Date:

December 1978 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Iluminação See more »

Filming Locations:

Poland

Company Credits

Production Co:

Film Polski Film Agency, P.P. Film Polski See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1
See full technical specs »
Edit

Did You Know?

Connections

Featured in The Supplement (2002) See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.

User Reviews

 
A genius in search of a soul and the meaning of life
20 January 2005 | by tobos – See all my reviews

Get genial. Go to army. Blow your chance with the love of your life. Get sex, get married, get kids and social "respectability". Work in a well reputed scientific research institute.

After such an impressive "carreer", start seeking your soul. To get it, leave everything behind and get to the monastery to become a monk. For some,(the weaker minded I would like to believe) this is a gift from god: the "illumination" ! as simple as that.

For others, I believe the meaning is the failure of a genius to be a "social beast" and find happiness this way among his fellow people. As once Kant (?) said, the superior being (man) is self-sufficient to himself. He can find peace only in the defiance of secluding himself in a monastery in a country ruled by a communist regime.

Excellent movie, more actual and dangerous than anything in these materialistic days of our modern society. No wonder you can't find a copy to buy anywhere in the US.
30 of 50 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you? | Report this
Review this title | See one user review »
Getting Started | Contributor Zone »

Contribute to This Page

Stream Action and Adventure Titles With Prime Video

Explore popular action and adventure titles available to stream with Prime Video.

Start your free trial


Clear your history

Recently Viewed