At the end of May 1981, the world premiere of the French-German horror film “Possession” took place, which is still considered one of the best, if not the best, in the film’s oeuvre. The film received a lot of positive reviews from critics and prestigious awards, including: Palme d’Or on . However, this did not protect him from censorship. The controversial film was completely banned in Great Britain, and in American cinemas it was shortened from 124 to 81 minutes. It has not been distributed in Poland for over 40 years.
Poles have been waiting 42 years for this film. What is Żuławski’s “Possession” about?
On November 17, 2023, “Possession” will finally debut in cinemas across the country. The plot focuses on the fate of Marc, who, after completing a spy mission, returns to his wife, Anna, and his several-year-old son. As soon as he enters, he learns that his wife has a lover. However, it soon turns out that the man who potentially ruined his marriage does not actually spend time with the woman. So he hires a detective who discovers the shocking truth. Marc’s wife has developed an intimate relationship with a mysterious supernatural creature that feeds on the bodies of its victims. Fearing that the secret will be revealed, Anna kills the spy and anyone else who follows his trail.
For Żuławski, “Possession” was a real pride. In the magazine “Film” he revealed that the plot is a combination of his private experiences and “Scenes from a Married Life” by Ingmar Bergman. – The shock of a person who returns home and sees the end of what he really believed in comes from my experience. Even some of the dialogues are taken straight from what I remember – .
Working on set was a nightmare for them. The director had no mercy
The director entrusted the main roles to a New Zealand actor, , and a French star, Isabelle Adjani, who recalled working on the set as a mentally and physically exhausting nightmare. The actress paid for it with a nervous breakdown and a suicide attempt. – I struggled with depression for a long time, there were months when I didn’t have the strength to get out of bed. I am one of those actresses who often play with their own emotions. Collaborating with Andrzej Żuławski on “Possession” was a descent into hell for me. He thought I would perform better if he humiliated and insulted me on set. I paid for it with a nervous breakdown – she said years later in . Neill also had a similar feeling and revealed that the director forced him, among other things, to genuinely beat your partner in front of the camera. – It was a crazy, f***ing surreal time. He demanded much more from us than we could give – in The Independent.
Żuławski, however, had a different opinion on this matter. He believed that because of Adjani’s success, she “grew feathers” and began to become a star. According to him, she delayed the team’s work, did not cooperate with make-up artists, and refused, among other things, putting on lenses, which she claimed to be allergic to. – I pushed her against the wall and said: “If you don’t f… come back upstairs, if you don’t put those eyes back on, if you don’t come down here and play within three minutes, I will strangle you. I will kill you.” – director.
If you are experiencing difficulties and are thinking about taking your own life or want to help someone at risk of suicide, remember that you can use the free help numbers:
- Support Center for Adults in Mental Crisis: 800-70-2222
- Helpline for Children and Youth: 116 111
- Emotional support phone number for adults: 116 123
Below you will find more information on how to help yourself or others, as well as contacts to organizations helping people in crisis and their loved ones.
If suicidal thoughts or a suicide attempt are life-threatening, for immediate crisis intervention, call the police on 112 or go to the emergency department of your local psychiatric hospital.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
