Man of Marble

A young filmmaker striving to reconstruct Mateusz Birkut’s life from scarce archival material. Her pursuit is hampered by official censorship and fragmented records, forcing her to navigate a resistant bureaucracy. She persists in seeking evidence beyond propaganda to reveal the real story.

Once celebrated as a worker-hero, Birkut’s image is weaponized by the Party to showcase progress. A bricklayer whose health is compromised by an accident, he becomes a symbol whose true fate is obscured by political expediency. As the truth surfaces, his legacy is reexamined against the propaganda that built it.

A director who recounts the making of his unfinished film and guides Agnieszka through the layers of buried truth. He uses retelling as a means to connect with the past while withholding some details. His perspective anchors the documentary’s exploration of memory and myth.

A close ally of Birkut who later becomes an official in Katowice. He appears steadfast in his belief in the party line, even as Birkut’s story complicates public narratives. His arc reflects how personal loyalties intertwine with state power.

Birkut’s wife, whose interview reveals the personal cost of her husband’s rise and fall. Distressed by the topics she confronts, she descends into distress and alcohol, illustrating the private anguish behind public glorification.

An agent of an unnamed state organization who kept tabs on Birkut. He provides details about the bricklayer’s activities and the broader security context, blending loyalty with a willingness to reveal uncomfortable truths when pressed.

The local Party Secretary who selected Birkut to embody progress. His influence underscores how political decisions shape public perception and the careers of individuals within the regime.

Agnieszka’s father offers counsel and speculates about the authorities’ fear of truth, encouraging her to pursue the story despite obstacles. He serves as a bridge between personal concern and political interrogation.

An official at the ZMP meetings whose presence signals the bureaucratic machinery behind the propaganda apparatus. His role highlights the institutional corridors that push Birkut’s narrative forward or keep it limited.