The Commandant's Shadow (2024)

The Commandant’s Shadow (2024) is a tense, atmospheric drama that explores the complex boundaries between loyalty, fear, and survival in post-World War II Poland. The story follows Janusz, a former Polish resistance fighter who, after the war, finds himself coerced into working for the notorious Commandant Olsztyn, a Soviet officer charged with rooting out anti-communist elements in the region. Janusz's past as a resistance fighter is both a secret he must guard and a source of moral conflict as he faces the grim tasks assigned by Olsztyn.

The film opens with Janusz's reluctant return to his village, a place ravaged by war, where neighbors eye each other with suspicion. He hopes for a quiet life but soon learns that peace is an illusion. When Olsztyn, known for his ruthless tactics, learns of Janusz’s past, he manipulates him into joining his ranks, knowing the leverage of Janusz's survival depends on total compliance. Janusz becomes a shadow in the Commandant’s world, carrying out orders he despises yet cannot refuse, under the constant threat that his resistance past will be used against him.

As Janusz works in this morally ambiguous role, he encounters several villagers, each of whom represents a different facet of survival and complicity under the oppressive new regime. Among them is Anna, a schoolteacher and former love interest, who is now part of a local underground network. Reconnecting with her stirs Janusz's internal struggle as he becomes increasingly torn between protecting her and maintaining his forced allegiance to Olsztyn. His loyalty to his people and his moral compass collide dangerously with the Commandant's demands, setting up a series of high-stakes choices that force Janusz to navigate alliances, betrayals, and unexpected alliances.

Director Marta Kowalska uses subdued lighting and muted color palettes to highlight the bleakness of post-war life and the psychological toll of Janusz’s predicament. The story unfolds with a slow-burn intensity, where every interaction hints at the layered complexity of postwar trauma. As tensions escalate, Janusz’s dual role becomes unsustainable, forcing him into decisions that will define not only his future but the fates of those around him. The Commandant’s Shadow is a haunting exploration of the lengths people go to in order to survive in a fractured, morally ambiguous world.