Strike

The story spans several decades of postwar Poland under communist rule. It begins in the 1950s with labor politics, includes the 1970s strikes, and culminates in the rise of Solidarity around 1980, intertwining personal lives with historic political shifts.

The Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk is a major shipbuilding complex and a symbol of Polish worker movements. It is known for its heavy industry, stringent quotas, and the resilience of workers who built ships while fighting for better conditions.

🤝 Solidarity

The film centers on workers uniting against excessive overtime, unsafe conditions, and oppressive management. It traces how Agnieszka's actions to support colleagues—like bringing soup to workers—spur collective action. Underground networks organize resistance and sustain momentum. Strikes and negotiations reveal the power of solidarity to win concessions and reshape shipyard life.

👩‍🏭 Empowerment

Agnieszka's journey from welder to crane operator marks a breakthrough for a woman in a male-dominated trade. She pursues literacy and training to secure a new role and financial independence. Her defiance of bureaucrats and willingness to risk criticism highlight the transformative potential of empowerment. The arc shows education as a tool to overcome barriers within a rigid industrial system.

🏛️ Authority

Officials and managers wield quotas and punishment to keep pace with production. The film exposes forged timecards, threatened layoffs, and the suppression of dissent. Agnieszka's stand against such power demonstrates the moral costs of blindly following orders. The tension between authority and workers underpins much of the conflict across decades.

🕰️ Historical memory

The story connects intimate struggles to major national events. From the early postwar era to the 1980 strikes and Solidarity, personal courage echoes through history. The film presents real moments like the 21 Accords to show how individual actions can influence a country's political trajectory. Archive-style framing anchors the narrative in a broader social movement.