Knife in the Water

Andrzej narrowly avoids hitting a young hitchhiker and decides to give him a ride. The journey continues toward a lake where they plan to sail. The unexpected passenger upends the quiet day.

They reach the lake and, instead of dropping him, Andrzej invites the hitchhiker to join the sailing. The man agrees, though he is inexperienced with boats. Krystyna's attention becomes a shared interest that unsettles the couple.

On the yacht, tension builds as Andrzej and the hitchhiker vie for Krystyna's attention. The competition for control over the situation complicates their previously calm outing. The lake becomes a pressure cooker for desire and jealousy.

Andrzej taunts the hitchhiker with his treasured pocket knife, provoking a confrontation. In the heat of the moment the knife is accidentally thrown overboard. The mood shifts from mischievous to dangerous as the threat of violence looms.

A fight erupts and the hitchhiker falls into the lake. The couple searches the water but cannot locate him, and the hitchhiker had claimed he could not swim, heightening their fear. They are left with the grim possibility that he has drowned.

Krystyna and Andrzej argue over what to do next, with fear and guilt weighing on them. Andrzej swims to shore to fetch the police, hoping to report a missing man. The trip is interrupted by the realization that a grave choice lies ahead.

The hitchhiker hides behind a buoy and then swims back to the yacht. He discovers Krystyna naked, and she seems to respond to him by inviting him aboard. They engage in sex off-screen, revealing hidden desires and power dynamics.

Krystyna sails back toward the dock while the hitchhiker uses the moment to jump off and go on his way. Andrzej resumes his attempt to regain control of the situation. The encounter leaves lingering questions about fidelity.

Krystyna tells Andrzej that the hitchhiker returned and that she was unfaithful. Andrzej questions what to believe, torn between anger and insecurity. The lack of a clear resolution deepens the strain between them.

At the road junction where they would turn home or go to the police, the car refuses to move. The moment leaves their fate undecided and mirrors the unresolved tension between them. The day ends in a stifled, uncertain silence.

The hitchhiker's prior claim of not swimming casts a shadow over the actions of Andrzej and Krystyna. It colors their choices and adds a layer of danger to the day’s events. The possibility of rescue or blame remains a constant undercurrent.

With no clear resolution, the day closes in ambiguity as the couple remains immobilized at the crossroads. The audience is left to interpret the moral and emotional costs of their decisions. The lake, once a place of leisure, has become a charged space for a fragile relationship.