PRIME TIME

Poland, 2021, 93 minutes, Colour.

Bartosz Bielenia, Magdalena Poplawska, Andrzej Klak.

Directed by Jakub Piatek.

A Polish drama of 2021 which has evoked memories of Sidney Lumet’s Network and the protest at the television station dramatised by the eccentricities of Peter Finch’s character and his declaration that they were not going to take it any more.

This time it is New Year’s Eve, 1999-2000, entertainment programs, competitions, drawing of winners, the host of the evening rather glamorous, working with the production team, though with some tensions.

But, the main part of the action concerns a young man, seen outside the television station, getting in, producing a gun, taking the host and one of the security men as hostages. In the background are various news items indicating political unrest in the country and the role of politicians, especially as they make speeches for the New Year.

On the one hand, there is the physical drama in danger of the hostages and the young man with the gun. On the other hand, there is the psychological conflict, the upset of the host, sometimes strong, sometimes highly upset. And, there is the management. And the police are called in, attempts to negotiate with the hostage taker.

There is always tension in the dramatising of the situations, some expected action, some unexpected turns. And, the end of the film is not quite anticipated – more civilised than might be expected than an American action-packed version of such a situation.

While the setting is the Eve of 2000, it has been remarked that 20 years later, the protest on the young man would have been done on social media, with a wider platform, than taking hostages at a television station so that he could proclaim his protest.

1. The title? The media? Television? Audiences? Prestige?
2. The setting, New Year’s Eve, television, the competition, the celebrity? The background of the production, the workers? The hostage situation? The management? The police and assault force? The musical score?
3. The focus on Mira, late, celebrity, the stand-in being ejected, Laura and managing the program, the competition, the contact with the winner, his being on the phone even after the crisis opened? The producers?
4. Sebastian, the audience seeing him outside, coming in, intruding, the gun, the security guard, the confrontation with Mira? The situation, New Year’s Eve, his wanting to contribute a message, his being disturbed, ringing his father?
5. The hostage situation, Sebastian, his age, with the gun, ousting the floor staff, the use of the camera, Mira knowing how to use the camera, emptying the production box? The threats, treatment of the security guard, of Mira? His being quiet? Her upset, the touch of tantrums, wanting to ring her daughter?
6. The arrival of the police, the negotiator, his techniques, the conversations, the impatience of the police commander, intruding, Lena and her place as second in charge? Laura and the other members of the staff? The tactics of delay, the need to call the company chief? His eventually arriving? Lena taking over the negotiations, the tactics, exasperations?
7. Time passing, Sebastian, patience and impatience? Treatment of the couple, touches of violence, the threats, in the chairs, moving the car, working the camera?
8. The police bringing in his father, the conversations, the absent mother, the tensions between father and son, the to-ing and fro-ing, attacks and criticisms? Withdrawing the father?
9. The prepared speech, the Prime Minister, reassuring the nation? The background of all the television programs for New Year’s Eve, celebrations, interviews, uprisings and violence? Poland on the eve of the 21^st-century? The millennium fears about computers…?
10. The manager, finally agreeing? The bag, the fear of a bomb, the evacuation of the building, going next door, setting up communications again?
11. The promise to Sebastian, the slot after the Prime Minister, the setting up of the camera, Mira and her advice? The plans, the details?
12. The lights going out, Mira and her injuries, Sebastian allowing her to go out, the medico? The security guard carrying Mira out, his returning, the conversation, his being allowed to go?
13. Sebastian, his speech, burning it, the attack, on the floor, the guards, brutal treatment? The rest, in the van?
14. The focus on the hostage situation, how it was handled, rather than the details of the message?