Movie-Katyn

Katyn was nominated for the 2007 (presented in 2008) Oscar as best foreign film. I t did not win.

The name Katyn is a place...a forested area of Poland where 20,000 Polish officers and intelligentsia were systematically executed by Soviet troops invading the country in WWII.

The Soviets blamed the Nazis, and described in detail the Nazi atrocities. The Nazis of course blamed the Soviets. And with all this blame, the Katyn tragedy kept being swept under the carpet. But his movie follows the saga, the blame game and the repercussions on the families of those who were killed.

Katyn (2007) is more series of chronological vignettes with many of the same characters, from the Soviet and Nazi invasions of Poland in 1939 through the end of the war and beyond. And it really follows the back and forth of the propaganda machines. It also shows how people could not even mention Katyn without causing controversy. So this film is a breakthrough event about a terrible event, that no one has been able to talk about much.

It is well acted and well produced. But it is hard to watch, especially when the get to the truth of the executions, and show how they were done graphically.

This is an important movie in world cinema, and probably for Poland. It is cathartic and devastating. And for those who are interested in history, another important event that we never learned about in school is brought to light.