The film is set in the ninth century, a hundred years before the baptism of Poland. In Lake Goplo country the government is exercised by the "Bloody Prince" Popiel, who murders his entire family in order to ensure the succession of his son. His crimes cause the rebellion of peasants. Ziemek, a young hunter and warrior, in love with the daughter of the peasant Wisz, a beautiful Dziwa, does not want to accept the will of the girl's father, who betrothed her to the gods and gave to the Swietowit's gontina. He decides to fight for his beloved. Ziemek meets Piastun on his way, a former commander of the Prince Popiel's forces. He decides to take the fight along with him and the peasants against "the bloody prince." How the gods will direct the fate of heroes?
I always used to say that if I were not a film maker, I would definitely be a historian. I love history, especially when talking about history of my mother country, Poland. Consequently, history and historic writings is an indispensable part of my film heritage.
The idea of screening ‘The Old Fable’ came to my mind a long time ago. I started implementing it soon after I had produced the film ‘Potop’, as –because of the strict government policy- I was not allowed to even dream of producing the film ‘Ogniem i Mieczem’. The script was a truthful copy of the novel written by Jozef Ignacy Kraszewski. However, it turned out to be a failure.
The narration and dramaturgy of the novel seem a bit anachronic today. Kraszewski’s writing style was not as good as the one introduced by Sienkiewicz and the characters created by him are not as expressive as the ones created by the author of ‘the Trilogy’. That is why, the script of the film which I have written together with Jozef Hen, is not a truthful copy of the book. Its dramaturgy is different and the motives taken from Kraszewski mix with scenes from legends, tales, fables and the authors’ imagination. We exposed the Macbeth plot (Popiel- Macbeth), thanks to which the film is more universal now.
The spectator is being taken for an unforgettable trip to the world of magic and pagan traditions, in which the gods influence people’s passions- love, hatred and lust for power. This film is not a history textbook. It is a fable. A Myth. And like in every myth, the war between the good and the evil occurrs here. Fortunately the good wins, but not without any problems.
Jerzy Hoffman
Ziemek | Michał Żebrowski |
Dziwa | Marina Aleksandrowa |
- Voiced by |
Karolina Gruszka |
Popiel | Bohdan Stupka |
Księżna (the Duchess) |
Małgorzata Foremniak |
Piastun | Daniel Olbrychski |
Wizun | Jerzy Trela |
Jarucha | Ewa Wiśniewska |
Jaga | Anna Dymna |
Mila | Katarzyna Bujakiewicz |
Smerda | Maciej Kozłowski |
Wisz | Ryszard Filipski |
Znosek | Andrzej Pieczyński |
Mirsz | Jan Prochyra |
Wróżka (the fortune teller) |
Krystyna Feldman |
Wiking Tłumacz (Viking the tranlator) |
Wiktor Zborowski |
Jarl Sigvald | Dariusz Juzyszyn |
Żywia | Maria Niklińska |
Sambor | Adam Graczyk |
Popiołek | Maciej Chorzelski |
Bumir | Sylwester Maciejewski |
Ludek | Andrzej Krukowski |
Godun | Krzysztof Zarzecki |
Stoigniew | Zdzisław Wardejn |
Bednorz | Arkadiusz Bazak |
Pachołek Ziemka | Jerzy Braszka |
Mściwój | Stefan Szmidt |
Duży | Tomasz Zaliwski |
Miłosz | Ryszard Ronczewski |
Grom | Aleksander Skowroński |
Wiking | Stanisław Wdowczyk |
Kapłanka | Zdzisław Szymborski |
Bratanek V | Krzysztof Łukaszewicz |
Cis | Jan Janga -tomaszewski |
Krzesimir | Marcel Nowek |
Zdobek | Marcin Mroczek |
Leszek | Michał Sieczkowski |
Wareg | Andrzej Shalew |
Kmieć | Bogdan Miklaszewicz |
Młody | Ryszard Jabłoński |
Wiking Ii | Grzegorz Emanuel |
Dubler Jarla Sigvalda | Tadeusz Mieluch |
Dzikowic | Edward Warzecha |
Wramot | Maciej Zakościelny |
Szpak | Jerzy Dukay |
Zabój | Andrzej Grąziewicz |
Jeździec I (the 1st Horseman) |
Mariusz Jakus |
Jeździec II (the 2nd Horseman) | Eryk Lubos |
Strażnik I (the 1st guardian) | Sergij Motenko |
Strażnik II (the 2nd guardian) | Janusz Sadowski |
Woj Księcia I (the Prince’s uncje I) | Wojciech Biernawski |
Woj Księcia II (the Prince’s uncje II) | Mieczysław Janowski |
Bratanek I (Nephew I) | Aleksander Pociej |
Bratanek II (Nephew II) | Michał Chorosiński |
Bratanek III (Nephew III) | Mariusz Drężek |
Bratanek IV (Nephew IV) | Andrzej Kobylas |
Zwiastun the Horseman |
Marek Cichucki |
Potężny Woj | Sylwester Zawadzki |
Producers | Jerzy R. Michaluk, Jerzy Hoffman |
Directed by | Jerzy Hoffman |
Script | Jerzy Hoffman, Józef Hen |
Direction Cooperation |
Jarosław Żamojda |
II Director |
Krzysztof Zbieranek, Zbigniew Gruz, Krzysztof Łukaszewicz |
Director’s assistants | Zdzisław Szymborski,Leszek Wieczorkiewicz |
Script | Małgorzata Kierska, Anna Zielińska |
Production Manager | Józef Jarosz |
II Production Manager |
Aleksandra Gajoch, Magdalena Sioma |
Producer’s assistants | Ewa Przęczka, Barbara Maciejkowicz |
Production cooperation |
Bogdan Miklaszewicz |
Trainee | Anna Mogilnicka |
Chief Acountant |
Danuta Duszyńska |
Administrators | Elżbieta Bergander, Irmina Kamińska, Zenona Kielanowska |
Production Manager |
Waldemar Król |
Camera operator | Jerzy Gościk P.S.C. |
Camera operator | Roman Suszyński P.S.C. |
Współpraca Operatorska | Nikolai Zuyev, Wiktor Nitkiewicz |
Steadicam | Andrzej Glatzel |
In coooperaion with | Tytus Maciej Kowalski, Zbigniew Szukała |
Lighting crew | „luks-film” |
Main lighting crew members | Marek Modzelewski, Mikhail Jerdin |
Lighting crew | Tomasz Baprawski, Tomasz Kitrasiewicz |
Unit | Włodzimierz Skrzypczak |
Unit | Andrzej Ściborek, Albert Ścieżyński |
Music | Krzesimir Dębski |
Music consultation |
Zbigniew Zbrowski |
Still | Zenon Żyburtowicz |
Stage designer |
Andrzej Haliński |
II Stage designer | Anna Bohdziewicz, Magdalena Hubka |
Interior decorator | Joanna Dzwonnik |
Chief decorations maker | Piotr Augustyniak, Mirosław Pawlak |
Costumes | Magdalena Tesławska, Paweł Grabarczyk |
In cooperation with |
Marek Łukasik, Janusz Adamiak, Anna Olechowska, Beata Mikulska, |
Trainee | Dominika Gebel |
Sound | Piotr Knop |
Sound engineer’s assistant | Mariusz Bielecki |
Microphone | Piotr Kałużka |
Post-synchrones producer | Aleksander Musiałowski |
Editing | Cezary Grzesiuk |
Trailer | Jerzy Orłowski, Cezary Grzesiuk |
Make-UP | Mira Wojtczak, Maja Gawińska-Łyczkowska, Sylwia Marczyńska, Mariola Pawełek, Piotr Wasiński, Marcin Rodak |
Military and horses | Tomasz W. Biernawski |
In cooperation with | Grzegorz Giercuszkiewicz, Adam Ruciński, Karolina Biernawska |
Props | Emil Kostecki, Roman Eryk Żuberek, Lech Ociesa |
Artificier | Kazimierz Wróblewski |
In cooperation with | Arkadiusz Rośczak |
Story Board | Beata Bogucka |
Special effects | Mirosław Bartosik, Janusz Król, Bartłomiej Stępniak, Adam Magajewski |
Stunt men’s coordinator | Lech Adamowski |
Stunt men | Wiesław Adamowski, Krzysztof Adamowski, Rafał Adamowski, Krzysztof Mączyński, Jerzy Pakos, Andrzej Środziński, Władysław Barański, Adam Barański, Bartek Barański, Karolina Dobczyńska, Czesław Magnowski, Bartłomiej Stępniak, Mikołaj Kułakowski, Piotr Nowacki, Kazimierz Gmys, Bogdan Michalak |
Consultations concerning horses |
Włodzimierz Kario |
Consultations concerning animals (dogs, eagles) | Marek Pińkowski |
Consultations concerning safety data | Wojciech Konkol |
Consultations concerning pets | Wojciech Kawczyński |
Consultations concerning history | Anna Grossman |
Consultations concerning woods | Roman Szczęsny |
Set service - doctor |
Marek Kulej |
Set service - grip |
Adam Kowalski |
Set service - On duty |
Tadeusz Filipek |
Subtitles | Artlogic |
Laboratory | Wfdif - Warszawa |
Computer special effects | Artlogic - Robert Chaciński, Ryszard Wojtyński |
Distribution | Syrena Entertainment Group Sp. z o.o. |
Public Relations Prensa | Mirosława Kubas-Paradowska |