Пробуждение (1934)

Przebudzenie (English: Awakening) is a 1934 Polish drama film directed by Aleksander Ford, based on a screenplay by Olga Fordowa. The film follows the struggles of a young high school graduate (Zofia Nakoneczna) employed as a governess by a wealthy Warsaw family. She falls in love with a mechanic, who is wrongly accused of theft, leading to his arrest and her dismissal. In a dream sequence, the heroine envisions the injustices faced by her and her beloved. Upon waking, she observes workers marching upward, symbolizing hope for a better future for the lower classes. Created by members of the avant-garde film community, Przebudzenie addresses social inequalities and systemic flaws. Production faced challenges, including financial dependence on a Radom cinema owner and strict censorship requirements. The film was poorly received by audiences and critics, who criticized its lack of narrative coherence, heavy-handed symbolism, chaotic editing, and poor cinematography and sound. In 1935, a re-edited version directed by Jan Nowina-Przybylski, titled Miłość maturzystki (Love of a Graduate), was screened in provincial cinemas. The film is considered lost.