He was picking water lilies until he was attacked by… leeches. This is how the iconic scene from “Nights and Days” was created

The film adaptation of Maria Dąbrowska’s cult novel changed the face of Polish cinematography forever. The production (available on ) hit the screens in September 1975 and quickly stole the hearts of not only viewers, but also critics, as evidenced by numerous awards and nominations. Although years pass, the story of the two-generation Niechcic family still intrigues subsequent generations, and not only them.

Antczak spent months looking for a place to shoot the iconic scene from “Nights and Days”. How did he manage to do it?

What arouses the greatest curiosity among fans of the production are the places where the photos were taken. Most of them were shot in the Siedlce region, in Serbinów and in Seroczyn, where a manor house in the spirit of the era was built for the needs of the film. It included a palace, a manor house, a farm with a distillery and an adjacent park. However, it cannot be denied that the most intriguing thing is the landscape that is the background of the scene in which Józef Toliboski (played by ) enters a muddy pond to pick blooming water lilies for Barbara (). Before recording began, Jerzy Antczak already had a specific vision for it. However, he could not find a suitable place that would fit into the image he had in his childhood memory. When he was losing hope, fate unexpectedly smiled on him.

It was late June when, while returning home from a movie set, he was intrigued by a hill covered with trees. He asked the driver to change the route, and the view that began to unfold before him took his breath away. – We drove down a dirt road straight to a huge pond covered with an indescribable amount of water lilies in full bloom. At first I thought I was crazy. I can’t describe my feelings. If I won a million in the lottery, my happiness would not be greater – then my unbridled joy. The next day, the entire crew showed up in Kołodziąż, because that’s where the pond was located, to start filming. However, they were pressed for time, because the flowers, according to local residents, would fade within a few days. However, this was not the only problem.

He was bitten by leeches on the set of “Nights and Days”. How did Strasburger remember his role in the cult film?

The biggest challenge faced was Karol Strasburger, who played Toliboski, who had to enter a muddy tank in a white suit. However, he was determined to meet the director’s expectations. Just a few moments after the significant “Action” sounded, he started screaming and jumped out of the water in panic. It turned out that leeches, which were numerous in this place, had gotten under his underwear. Only when firefighters lent him wellies that reached up to his hips was he able to continue shooting without any problems. As you know, the hardships paid off because he created a scene that is considered one of the most beautiful not only in “Nights and Days”, but also in all Polish cinema.

Interestingly, Strasburger almost didn’t appear in Antczak’s film at all. When he was offered a supporting role, he was disconsolate and wanted to refuse. – It was the reaction of a young man who dreams of getting a big, ambitious role. I read a huge script and I said to myself it’s an episodic character that appears there from time to time – he recalled years later. Only after some time did he understand the vision of the director, who impressed him with his great commitment, and decided to fully trust him. – He had everything thought out, he lived this project. How he started telling me who I would be, what my role would be. Then I thought how I could turn up my nose, Strasburger said.