| Gdynia Polish Film Festival Competition Spotlight: General Nil |
| 14 September 2009 | By Katarzyna Grynienko |
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General Nil, one of the most powerful Polish historic dramas, will compete in the Gdynia competition and re-enter Polish distribution on the September 17.
"I still repeat to myself, that one person can be beguiled forever, but the whole nation just for a while. It is a shame that so many generations did not experience freedom, but unfortunately Poland is a small country, which was mistreated by its allies during WWII, and today we can only face the facts. Our history is so tragic and complicated that getting to know about it becomes crucial not only for every Pole, but every European. Knowledge of the national heritage constitutes a man's worth, and my work is only filling the major gaps which were created during 60 years of communism," Bugajewski said in a statement.
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Director Ryszard Bugajewski explores the story of General Emil Fieldorf (codename Nil), a hero during the World War II and a prominent member of the AK (the Home Army) who was sentenced to death during the repressions of the communist authorities in the 1950's. Like the broadly awarded Katyń by Andrzej Wajda, this movie shows a dramatic and sensitive episode of Polish history.
The movie was shot in Morskie Oko, Warsaw, Sierpc, and Lodz between April 21 and May 21, 2008. Prior to principal filming, the crew filmed in the Tatra Mountains National Park (October 2007) and Sierpc ( March 2008). The film was shot in CinemaScope format allowing for screening in a 2.35:1 image.
"The movie was seen by over 259,000 viewers to date, not counting the several festival and retrospective screenings," Ryszard Pawlicki from Monolith Films told FNE. "The interest in this title is still very strong, so we are re-distributing the film. We are focused especially on the schools and the young audience, as this movie can be a very valuable addition to their education,." he added. 
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