Rough Treatment

Michałowski (Z. Zapasiewicz) is an experienced journalist who returns to his country after a long stay abroad. He expects a warm welcome but finds an empty house – his wife has left with their child and moved in with another man (A. Seweryn). At work, he continues to achieve success and enjoys respect, but in his personal life, he experiences loneliness and a sense of failure. Through contact with old friends and family, he tries to find balance, but his efforts bring no peace. Wajda’s film depicts the drama of a man confronted with loneliness and the consequences of his loved ones' decisions, exploring the psyche of a protagonist caught between ambition and personal loss. Agnieszka Holland’s script draws inspiration both from the experiences of Ryszard Kapuściński and from the biography of her father, Henryk Holland.