Warsaw 44

In the summer of 1944, Stefan Zawadzki operates in the shadows to help the Home Army survive under German occupation. He learns to move covertly and support resistance work while avoiding detection. He also faces the intimidating presence of the SS officer Johan Krauss, a constant threat looming over him.

Stefan encounters Ala, a resilient nurse, and Kama, a swift underground messenger, who pull him into a broader tale of courage and loyalty. Their presence broadens his world and deepens his commitment to the fight. The trio's growing bond introduces love and trust amid rampant danger.

On August 1, 1944, the Polish Home Army rises and Stefan commits more fully to the AK's cause. Ala returns to Warsaw to contribute as a nurse, while Kama remains a key messenger. The city erupts with bombardments, turning every street into a frontline.

German forces, including the notorious Dirlewanger units, unleash a brutal assault that makes the streets deadly mazes. Shelling and gunfire blot out landmarks as civilians scramble for cover. Stefan's resolve is tested as survival depends on cunning, courage, and keeping his head down.

The SS targets Stefan's personal world when his mother and younger brother are killed in the crossfire. The loss drives him toward a catatonic brink, an abyss his allies must repeatedly pull him back from. Ala steadies him and helps him cling to a reason to keep living and fighting.

The hospital becomes a focal point for resilience as Ala tends the wounded and Kama carries urgent messages through dangerous streets. It becomes a lifeline for fighters and civilians alike, a place where humanity persists amid bombardment. The constant danger tests every decision but solidarity keeps hope alive.

In moments of vulnerability, a kiss rekindles Stefan's will and reaffirms his loyalty to Ala and Kama. The warmth of that moment offers a rare light amid ceaseless shelling. Their bond becomes a lifeline as the city collapses around them.

As the fighting escalates, Stefan makes a costly act of mercy by saving Krauss's life when the officer is wounded. Krauss is eventually captured by the AK, a turning point that blurs lines between enemies and allies. The act reshapes trust and reshuffles the dynamics of the conflict.

Kama is fatally struck by a tank shell, leaving Stefan more isolated and focused on the mission ahead. He continues to search for Ala through a city reduced to ash and rubble. The losses harden the remaining fighters as the siege nears its end.

After the fiercest fighting, Warsaw sinks into ruin and an uneasy quiet settles over the streets. Survivors cling to whatever humanity remains, while friends and lovers have fallen around them. The hospital and its people stand as a last symbol of endurance amid the ashes.

Stefan's desperate search leads him to a hospital where Ala's fate remains shrouded in ambiguity. He survives a dangerous crossing back into the ruined city, aided by Krauss's mercy. The possibility of reunion remains uncertain as dawn approaches.

Stefan swims to a small island in the Vistula and glimpses Ala once more, a fragile thread of connection amid the devastation. The film closes with a daytime panorama of a still-rebuilding Warsaw while a narrator notes that almost nobody survived. Stefan fades into the dawn, a quiet testament to love, loss, and courage.