Part 10/15:
On June 1, 1977, the Polish government abruptly halted production. Vice Minister of Cultural Affairs Janice Wilhelm ordered the destruction of all costumes, materials, and unfinished reels. Zuowski and his team were forced to leave the project and the country—his passport revoked within 48 hours, leaving his wife and son behind. Wilhelm’s sudden death in a plane crash shortly after remains suspicious, adding an air of dystopian tragedy to the narrative.
Despite these setbacks, the story persisted. Years later, uncovered film fragments laid dormant in Warsaw, sparking hope for reconstruction. Zuowski, after gaining recognition in France for his film Love, returned in 1985 to salvage his magnum opus. However, many original materials had been lost or destroyed, forcing him to adapt.