A big screen adaptation of a TV series „Kanclerz”, the film tells a story of a cavalry captain Szymon Mroczek and his relations with an infamous outlaw Samuel Zborowski. Both TV series and feature film were based on a historical novel by Zbigniew Safjan, where the story of Jan Zamoyski’s life provides an opportunity to expose universal workings of power and politics.
Inspired by the 16th century courtly and folk music, captivating music score was composed by Jan Kanty Pawluśkiewicz, an artist associated with a legendary literary cabaret Cellar under the Rams (Piwnica pod Baranami) and author of songs performed by Marek Grechuta.
Mesmerizing and contrasting performances by actors Jerzy Kryszak and Krzysztof Jasiński.
A tragic story of friendship and conflict of two protagonists serves as a metaphor of a historical clash of two ideas: ruling with a rod of iron versus nobles’ unhampered liberty.
1575. Cavalry captain Szymon Mroczek arrives in Cracow as an emissary of the prince of Transylvania and claimant to the Polish throne Stefan Batory. Mroczek enters into Jan Zamoyski’s service. Zamoyski, who has a big hand in Batory’s victory, becomes the second most important person in the country after the king himself. An experienced and ruthless soldier, Mroczek is an advocate of strong royal power and postulates curbing of the nobles’ insubordination. His views put him in a conflict with his old comrade and friend Samue Zborowski who is a Cossack chieftain and outlaw from a powerful aristocratic family.
