I watched "Kamien na kamieniu" (Stone on stone) mostly because of the name of Wladyslaw Mysliwski, who is considered to be an outstanding writer, and whose books are translated into other languages. Even though I personally don't like to go back to the past, I think that the film touches on important issues related to World War II and the post-war history of the Polish countryside. In my rural family, it was always believed that a serious man should take care of his loved ones and work hard on his farm rather than run around the forests with a rifle or engage in political activities. But despite this neutral attitude, my father's entire family was deported to Germany for forced labor in 1942, my mother's father was shot by Ukrainian nationalists in 1943, and in 1946 anti-communist partisans robbed my grandmother-a lonely widow with three small children-of her belongings. So it is not that easy to stay neutral. The books of Wladyslaw Mysliwski raise those and also other questions. "Stone on stone" kept me interested. For me, the village and the characters in the film were not ordinary people but rather symbols of certain attitudes. Even though I personally have no emotions connected with those times, I think we shouldn't forget about them. Our children in schools should be given an objective and balanced view of our past. " Stone on stone" is not a film for everyone, but I think that it is a valid voice in the discussion about the history of Polish countryside.
