Mother of Kings

^director Janusz Zaorski
^screenplay (based on the novel of the same title by Kazimierz Brandys) Janusz Zaorski
^{directors of photography} Edward Kłosiński, Witold Adamek
^music Przemysław Gintrowski
^with Magda Teresa Wójcik, Zbigniew Zapasiewicz, Franciszek Pieczka, Bogusław Linda, Michał Juszczakiewicz, Adam Ferency, Krzysztof Zaleski, Henryk Bista, Tadeusz Huk, Jerzy Trela, Jerzy Stuhr, Joanna Szczepkowska, Andrzej Zaorski
^awards
 Silver Bear at the International Film Festival in West Berlin, 1988
 Italian Culture Centre Award, Adelaide Ristom for Magda Teresa Wójcik, 1989
 Gran Prix, Golden Lions, Individual Prize, Bronze Lions for Magda Teresa Wójcik (Best Actress), Journalist Prize and Young People Jury Prize at the 12th Polish Film Festival in Gdynia, 1987
 1st Degree Award of Ministry of Culture and Art for Magda Teresa Wójcik, 1987
 prize awarded by the Polish Association of Film Critics Club, the Don Quixote, 1987
 Golden Film (Złota Taśma), prize awarded by the Writers Association SFP, 1988
 Golden Duck (Złota Kaczka), ‘Film’ magazine Readers Award, 1988

KAZIMIERZ BRANDYS, MOTHER OF KINGS [MATKA KRÓLÓW], 1957

I have been through a lot to raise my sons and I have known poverty. They say that the common people should have a better life now. So why have I been treated so bad? In my view, my son has been accused innocently. He cannot have done anything wrong. I kindly ask Mr President to recall his mother, who may be dead now, and to look into our great worry and to explain this injustice. Łucja Król

MARIOLA DOPARTOWA, ‘MOTHER OF KINGS’ LEAVES THE SHELF [IN:] HISTORY OF POLISH CINEMA, ED. BY T. LUBELSKI AND K. J. ZARĘBSKI [1987 – ‘MATKA KRÓLÓW’ SCHODZI Z PÓŁKI [W:] HISTORIA KINA POLSKIEGO, POD RED. T. LUBELSKIEGO I K. J. ZARĘBSKIEGO], WARSZAWA 2006

Janusz Zaorski has made many changes in this adaptation of Brandys’s book, aware that a film from 1980’s needs more appeal than the old-time literature from the late 50’s. The task was difficult also because Stalinism was still a touchy area. (…) The film was released after five years. (…) Zaorski skilfully refers to the topical stereotypes of the common man derived from the opposition tradition of the 70’s and flourishing under the cult of Walesa. The excellent acting (…) helps to break the shallow stereotype of the pre-war communists as creators of ideological sophistry which leads to violence and crime. (…) Zaorski brings out the figure of the leftist loser, contrasting it with the vain sacrifice of Klemens and with the warmth, inner strength, goodness and loyalty of Łucja Król.