A woman with no memory becomes everyone's pawn in occupied Poland's deadliest chess game.
43 minSeason 1 • Episode 13
LatestA historical story about a young woman, Matilda, who in the politically difficult times of the partitions after the January Uprising becomes a pawn of landed gentry intrigues. Her past, which is also a mystery to herself, is overshadowed by the political decisions of both Polish patriots and traitors plotting with the Russian invaders. In addition to its educational and historical value, the series contains rich thriller and love plots.
Production
Painstaking recreation of 1860s partitioned Poland.
Acting
Maria Kowalska's amnesiac intensity anchors every frame.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The January Uprising (1863-64) remains Poland's largest armed resistance against Russian rule; over 10,000 insurgents were deported to Siberia, a trauma still shaping national identity.
Director Krzysztof Lang specifically cast Silesian and Ukrainian actors in Russian roles to reflect the empire's actual ethnic composition, subverting typical Polish cinema's ethnic essentialism.
PL
