THE WAR IS NOT OVER UNTIL IT IS OVER. CONTEMPORARY FILMS AS A MEANS OF NATIONAL IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION AND MEMORY IN POLAND

Abstract

Films are an important source of symbolism. They help people construct a national identity and memory of the past. Contemporary lm productions in Central and Eastern Europe which focus on themes such as World Wars I and II and post-communism, rewrite and rede ne the national identity of citizens. It is important to analyze and discuss these lms as a way to gaining a richer understanding of the discourses of national identity. In the Polish lm Rose ( Roza ) by Wojciech Smarzowski, the main female character is the recipient of an imposed identity before and after World War II. On the other hand, in the Polish lm In Darkness director Agnieszka Holland tells the story of a man who helps Jews hide in the sewer system. Holland and Smarzowski portray Poles as individuals willing to risk their lives for Jewish people: this is also national identity construction.