Part II—New Releases
Clergy, Kler
Saturday, November 10, 7 p.m.
2018, 133 min. Poland
Director: Wojciech Smarzowski
Written by: Wojciech Smarzowski, Wojciech Rzehak
Principal Cast: Arkadiusz Jakubik, Jacek Braciak, Robert Więckiewicz, Janusz Gajos, Joanna Kulig, Iwona Bielska, Iza Kuna, Katarzyna Herman
Trailer
The release of this film comes as the Catholic Church faces a crisis in several countries owing to charges of sexual abuse of children by clergy and lay members, which the Vatican’s chief spokesman has called “a cultural problem” and “very grave sins”. It has aroused passionate debate in Poland, winning awards but also triggering calls for it to be banned.
It is a story about three Catholic priests whose fates were joined together by a tragic event, but their lives took different paths. Lisowski is moving up the ladder in the Church administration in a big city, dreaming about the Vatican. Standing in his way is the Archbishop, a luxury-loving dignitary who uses political influence to build the largest sanctuary in Poland. The second priest, Trybus, is a rural pastor. Serving in a place full of poverty, he slowly succumbs to human weaknesses. Kukula is not very successful either, and despite his fervent faith, loses the trust of his parishioners overnight. Soon, the clergymen’s paths will cross again, and the events that will take place will have an impact on the life of each of them.