Leave No Traces
In Jan P. Matuszyński's true-life drama set in the 1980s, the sole witness of a state-sanctioned murder becomes a wanted man.
Tomasz Zietek
When one considers the aim behind this film by the Polish director Jan P. Matuszyński two distinct possibilities present themselves. Set in Warsaw in May of 1983, Leave No Traces draws on the true story of how an 18-year-old high school student, Grzegorz Przemyk (Mateusz Górski) met his death at the hands of militia officers and of how the authorities went to extreme lengths to cover that up. This even extended to creating a bogus charge against an orderly (Sebastian Pawlak) to suggest that the injury leading to the death was inflicted in an ambulance used to transport Przemyk after which pressure was brought to bear on the orderly to make a false confession.
Such material invites thoughts of other films which looked back critically on Poland’s history. In particular, one thinks of the work of Poland's greatest director, the late Andrzej Wajda, who surveyed the history of his country in the second half of the 20th century in such films as Man of Marble (1977), Man of Iron (1981) and Walesa – Man of Hope (2013). The first two in particular look like models for Leave No Traces being detailed works studying political and social pressures. Indeed, Man of Iron takes place relatively close in time to the events depicted in Matuszyński’s film. Furthermore, the Solidarity movement with its fight for human rights which featured in both Man of Iron and the Walesa film is also relevant to this new work. A central character in it is the mother of Grzegorz Przemyk, Barbara Sadowska (Sandra Korzeniak), who, both a poet and an activist, is stated to be a member of Solidarity (there is even a passing hint that the authorities could just possibly have turned on her son in order to get back at her).
Wajda’s example may have encouraged Matuszyński to tell his story at length: at 160 minutes Leave No Traces is just four minutes longer than Man of Iron and five minutes shorter than Man of Marble. But Wajda was covering considerably wider ground and those two works gained much from a compelling central performance by the great Krystyna Janda which was notable for its forceful drive. The screenplay for Leave No Traces does bring out the sheer relentlessness of the authorities in their cover-up, but it lacks the sense of urgency needed to sustain such a long film and the writing falls down in other respects too. It seeks to make the victim’s best friend, the 23-year-old Jurek Popiel (Tomasz Zietek), the central figure. Having also been seized by the militia, he had witnessed his friend being viciously attacked and would thus be the crucial witness in court when, despite warnings not to proceed, the attempt went ahead to prove the culpability of the officers. Zietek is an able actor, but the role is rather thinly written and the film becomes unpersuasive when, about halfway through, it asks us to believe that as a teenager Jurek had been involved for some years in an affair with his friend’s mother. This feels out of character both for him and for Barbara Sadowska as they are portrayed here (the credits refer to the film being based on historical events but with some fictional elaboration so I have no idea whether or not such a relationship actually existed).
Whatever the film’s shortcomings, Matuszyński was certainly following Wajda’s example in taking a critical look at the state of Poland at a particular time but, as I have indicated, a second possible aim can also be considered. The time and place may be specific, but to make this film now is to create a wider resonance and Matuszyński himself has commented on this at a screening by referencing the fate of George Floyd in America. Treat that as relevant and the film’s honourable ambitions are so clear that my rating for what is certainly a decent film may seem unduly harsh. But the potential of Leave No Traces only adds to the sense that this is a film which after 160 minutes has left us feeling that what it has delivered is less powerful by far than what it should have been - and that, alas, is the lasting impression.
Original title: Żeby nie bylo śladów.
MANSEL STIMPSON
Cast: Tomasz Zietek, Sandra Korzeniak, Jacek Braciak, Agnieszka Grochowska, Sebastian Pawlak, Mateusz Górski, Tomasz Kot, Robert Wieckiewicz, Aleksandra Konieczna, Bartłomiej Topa, Andrzej Chyra, Dariusz Chojnacki, Mikołaj Grabowski, Michał Zurawski, Jerzy Bonczak.
Dir Jan P. Matuszyński, Pro Lesek Bodzak and Aneta Cebula-Hickinbotham, Screenplay Kaja Krawczykwnuk based on the book by Cezary Łazarewicz, Ph Kacper Fertacz, Pro Des Paweł Jarzebski, Ed Przemysław Chruscielewski, Music Ibrahim Maalouf, Costumes Małgorzata Zacharska.
Aurum Film/Les Contes Modernes/Arte/Auvergne Rhône-Alpes Cinéma/Canal+/Background Films-Modern Films.
160 mins. Poland/Czech Republic/France. 2021. US Rel: February 2022. UK Rel: 10 June 2022. Cert. 15.