Poland���s Cinema of Moral Concern (1976-1981) - Social Reality in front of Truth and Moral Concern -

As for Polish cinema, it was a primary aim to describe ironies of Poland society and history. Like other cinema from socialist countries, Polish cinema devoted itself to diffuse ideology and ruling party���s idea. However, on the other hand, Polish cinema also played a role as a lookout man for Poland by closely describing its social and historical problems. It was Polish filmmakers��� understanding of cinema as a social medium that made it possible to produce the social and political films in the history of Polish cinema. They claimed that the aim of cinema lies in revealing truth relying on social reality. By looking at a range of historical occasions, they pointed out the importance of the identity and independent of Polish cinema. More significantly, they made continuous attempts to make their cinema a unique medium to contribute itself to the historical progress of Poland. It is the so-called ���cinema of moral concern��� that became a typical example of these aspects of Polish cinema, which refers to the films between 1976 and 1981, the most productive period of the history of Poland cinema. This paper looks at the social and historical role the ���cinema of moral concern��� played in reconstructing Polish society and history between 1976 and 1981. During this period, when Polish society encountered crucial political and moral crises, and social and historical ironies, Polish cinema examined causes for these problems and revealed them, and above all, tried to return Poland to its original place in its history. This essay, at the same time, also shows that the ���cinema of moral concern��� achieved a certain aspect of the nature of film