THE MUTE is a 2018 Polish historical drama directed by Bartosz Konopka.

The film takes viewers to a medieval settlement hidden deep in wild forests, where a pagan community lives according to its own rituals and beliefs, not yet touched by Christianity. Into this closed society arrive two strangers — Bishop Willibrord and his companion, initially nameless but later called Jan by the locals. Both come as missionaries, but it quickly becomes clear that they share only the goal of spreading Christianity, not the methods. Willibrord is a fanatic preacher who believes religion must be imposed by force, fire, and blood. Jan, on the other hand, has abandoned violence and seeks spiritual redemption, trying to build bridges of understanding with the pagans.

The Mute is a film about the clash of worlds but also an intimate drama of faith, guilt, and fanaticism. The director creates a dense, almost mystical atmosphere where spirituality mixes with brutality, and the naturalistic images of forests and bodies remind us of humanity’s closeness to nature and death. The stark visuals, nearly ascetic dialogues, and symbolic shots compose an intense, unsettling portrait of spiritual struggle and the inevitable end of one world.

Cast: Krzysztof Pieczyński, Karol Bernacki, Witalij Klicenko, Jacek Koman, Wiktoria Gorodeckaja

Locations: Lower Silesia – Table Mountains, Błędne Skały Reserve, Szczeliniec, surroundings of Nowa Ruda and Radków

Awards: Nominated for the Golden Lions at the Gdynia Film Festival (2018), competed in the main competition at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, and featured in the East of the West section at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

The film was co-produced by the Lower Silesian Film Centre.

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