Michnik. Be Realist, Wish for the Impossible

Michnik. Badz realista, chciej niemozliwego

Overview

Maria Zmarz-Koczanowicz tried for many years to make a documentary about Adam Michnik, but Michnik consistently discouraged her from doing so. In the end, he agreed, but made the condition that 'it should not be an interview at all, but a portrait made up of other people's voices'. As a result, closer and distant acquaintances and friends, including Barbara Toruńczyk, Jan Tomasz Gross, Helena Łuczywo, Karol Modzelewski, Kazimierz Kutz and Andrzej Wajda, talk about Michnik. We also observe him through archive materials - when he does not let himself be led out of prison and during his trial in 1984; we see his bitterness during his testimony in the so-called Rywin affair and his humble listening to the miners accusing him of 'destroying Solidarity'.