The Films of Andrzej Wajda: Ashes and Diamonds
October 17, 2026
A milestone of Polish cinema, Andrzej Wajda’s piercing drama stars iconic Polish actor Zbigniew Cybulski as a tragic hero in the aftermath of the Second World War.
The final entry of Wajda’s celebrated WWII trilogy and a touchstone of Polish cinema, Ashes and Diamonds follows the militant Maciek (Zbigniew Cybulski) who finds himself tasked with the assassination of an incoming commissar. But when he falls for a local barmaid, he’s offered a glimpse of a world beyond war and destruction, leading him to question his commitment to a cause that risks his life. Wajda’s classic drama cemented his position as a world-class filmmaker and features an iconic central performance by Cybulski, the ‘Polish James Dean’ – who contributes legendary charisma to this probing look at the complex post-war future for a new nation and its people.
- Original Language Title: Popiół i diament
- Director: Andrezj Wajda
- Principal Cast: Zbigniew Cybulski, Ewa Krzyżewska, Wacław Zastrzeżyński
- Country: Poland
- Year: 1958
- Running Time: 100 min.
- Screenplay: Jerzy Andrzejewski, Andrzej Wajda
- Cinematographers: Jerzy Wójcik
- Editors: Halina Nawrocka
- Music: Filip Nowak
- Language: Polish
- Has Subtitles: Yes