The Maids of Wilko

Wiktor Ruben (D. Olbrychski), weakened and saddened by the loss of a friend, travels to the countryside to revisit the places of his childhood – the estates of his uncles and the homes of the titular "Maidens from Wilko." There, he meets most of them: Kazia (K. Zachwatowicz) with her son, Julcia (A. Seniuk) with her daughters, Jola (M. Komorowska), and Zosia (S. Celińska). Tunia has grown up, and Fela is no longer alive, having passed away earlier. The film portrays everyday rural life—walks, conversations, and shared meals—as a meditation on the passage of time and the fleeting nature of moments. Wajda creates a melancholy portrait of places and people, blending a literary adaptation with the personal memories of the story’s author, Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, whose character appears in the opening scenes, suggesting a partial identification with the protagonist.