A feature film inspired by true events
Honorary patrons
The Battle of Pecynka — a film shaped by my grandfather’s memories, made in tribute to him.
During the German encirclement of Home Army soldiers in Puszcza Biała, an eighteen-year-old partisan, paralysed by moral doubt, must kill for the first time to escape and save his friend.
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Historical background
The Battle of Pecynka took place in late August 1944 between the 3rd Battalion of the Polish Home Army’s 13th Infantry Regiment and German Wehrmacht forces with supporting units. It was one of the largest and bloodiest partisan engagements of the German occupation.
Deep in Puszcza Biała, six German infantry battalions, supported by heavy armoured equipment, closed a ring around the Home Army units. The decisive fighting came on 31 August near the Pecynka forester’s lodge. A unit of about one hundred soldiers under Second Lieutenant Alfred Wieczorek, known as “Tatar”, was surrounded on all sides and fought desperately to break out. German troops executed wounded and captured soldiers on the spot and buried them in a mass grave in the forest. After the war, the bodies of the fallen Home Army soldiers were exhumed and reburied with honours at the parish cemetery in Ostrów Mazowiecka. Around 150 Polish soldiers were killed in the battle and many others were wounded. Their sacrifice became a symbol of resolve and courage in the struggle for Poland’s independence.
The film treatment grew out of conversations with my grandfather Jerzy and his written recollections. These personal testimonies became the foundation of the story.
A story of values stronger than fear
This is a moving story of comradeship and a friendship tested to its limits. In the brutality of war, a young man loses his childhood innocence and discovers courage he never knew he had. It is a story about enduring values: honour, loyalty and responsibility for another person. At a time when words such as sacrifice and patriotism can lose their meaning, this story recalls the values that helped shape our national identity and can still bring us together.
The preview and its making
It was raining when 40 people arrived on set. They worked without pay because they believed this story deserved to be told. Their time, energy and determination made the film preview possible. This is only the beginning — watch the filmmakers speak and hear why this film matters so deeply to us.
Filmmaking approach
An unprecedented approach to a Polish feature film
The film will be made as one unbroken shot — from the opening scene to the final moment, the camera never leaves Jerzy, following each step, emotion and choice. The audience will not watch from a safe distance; they will be there with him. They will walk beside him, hear his quickening breath, feel the tension before a shot and the weight of decisions on which lives depend. This approach, in the spirit of films such as 1917, creates an intimate and deeply immersive experience.
A film made to look like one continuous shot may seem expensive and complex, but our project is built around a simpler way of working. The story unfolds in the stark setting of a forest. Careful staging, precise planning and contemporary postproduction techniques will allow us to use the budget efficiently without losing scale or authenticity.
Our ambition is to create Poland’s first feature-length war film told entirely in one continuous shot: innovative, raw and truthful.
Film budget
The first stage you can support covers preproduction and the start of filming. The funds raised will go towards developing the screenplay — research, the screenwriter’s work, revisions and script consulting — as well as historical and subject-matter advice to keep the story credible. We will also fund location scouting, logistics and production planning; the work of a professional creative and technical crew; period-appropriate costumes, makeup and props; and camera equipment for cinema-quality filming. Cast and technical rehearsals are essential for a film staged as one continuous shot. After those preparations, we will film part of the story.
Postproduction is a separate stage that will require additional funding.
The people behind the project
Originator, cinematographer and producer
He studied cinematography at the Łódź Film School and at the Warsaw School of Advertising. He has worked on fiction films, documentaries and commercials in Poland and abroad.
Before there was a screenplay, there were conversations with his grandfather Jerzy. Jerzy’s recollections became the starting point for Franciszek’s personal story of a boy forced to grow up by war.
Producer
Co-founder of the production company Space Films. He makes films with a message, including stories about Polish history and patriotism.
Director
A director of commercials, music videos and documentary projects. His work combines storytelling with new filmmaking techniques.
His music video for Electric Light Orchestra received international recognition, including a directing award at the European Music Video Awards.
Composer
A Polish-Bulgarian composer, pianist and music producer. His work brings together orchestral, jazz and electronic sounds with influences from Slavic and Balkan folk music.
He has composed music for the television series “Król” and “Belfer” and for films in the “Polish Legends” series. He has won a Berlinale film-music competition.
Historical consultant · GRH Zryw
A history enthusiast and collector specialising in the Polish resistance during the Second World War. A graduate of the War Studies University in Warsaw.
Founder and chair of the Zryw Historical Reenactment Group. He received the “Proud of the Insurgents” distinction for his work commemorating the Warsaw Uprising, awarded by the social committee for its 80th anniversary.
Historical consultant · GRH Zryw
Born on 11 February 1997 in Poznań. A community activist, art dealer, collector and advocate for public history. He specialises in the insignia of Polish Underground State units. His interests also include military decorations, wartime memorabilia, the Polish Armed Forces in the West and the material heritage of the Second World War.
Deputy chair of the Zryw Historical Reenactment Group.
Institutions supporting the project
Honorary patrons
Historical reenactment group
Questions and contact
Have another question? Write to franek@spacefilms.pl.
I want to bring my grandfather’s memories to the screen and pay tribute to his generation. It is a story of growing up, moral choices and values that are too easily forgotten today.
It will fund preparation and filming: the work of the cast and crew, costumes, props and production logistics. Postproduction is not included in the initial fundraising goal.
The premiere date depends on raising the funds and on the production schedule. We will announce it once we can confirm a realistic date.
We would love for LAS 44 to reach cinemas. There is still a long way to go, so we cannot promise that today, but it is what we are working towards. We will announce screenings on the project website and social media.
Yes. We welcome companies interested in supporting or sponsoring the project. Please write to franek@spacefilms.pl.
The current goal is the minimum needed to prepare and begin filming. If we reach it, we will raise the target. A larger budget will help us refine the film and improve the production.
Join the project — become part of the story
