Considered one of the greatest films produced during Poland’s communist period, Andrzej Wajda’s epic 19th century period piece follows three best friends and upstart capitalists, a Pole, a German, and a Jew, who attempt to build a factory and make a fortune in the city of Łódź, Poland’s bustling industrial center. As they embark on the project, however, they must contend with numerous obstacles, such as the dangers of the free market, rival industrial capitalists, and, of course, the resistance of Łódź’ emerging working class.

CCP: Communist Cinematic Productions
CCP is a monthly, Sunday film series dedicated to presenting politically left-wing cinema. The body of film covered by this category is wide and, as such,
CCP shows films that were produced as a part of or about a vast array of socialist, communist, anarchist, trade unionist, anti-imperialist, anti-colonial, and other revolutionary movements. Though this by no means precludes the series from showing classic revolutionary cinema such as Battleship Potemkin and The Battle of Algiers, CCP especially seeks to highlight lesser-known left-wing film that has been left behind by the standard canon.