The Cabaret of Death

A story of artists of Jewish origin who fought for survival during the occupation with the help of the only available weapon – musical, theatre and film art. They defend themselves against the Hitler apparatus of repression with the help of jokes, cabaret performances, sketches, shows, songs, concerts… They organise them in concentration camps and in ghettos. They fight for their lives but first and foremost – as they themselves emphasise – for the soul and dignity. In the series of feature episodes being a faithful reconstruction of facts, we follow music, sketch and the Jewish joke become a weapon in the battle for the will to live and the spirit of resistance of the playing artists and of those who watch their performances – fellow prisoners, exhausted with backbreaking work and hunger.

Written by: Andrzej Celiński
Director of photography: Aleksander Dyl
Music by: Kroke
Production design by: Magdalena Herzyk-piechota
Make-up by: Klaudyna Góralska, Joanna Stawowy, Weronika Pająk, Katarzyna Trzaskowska
Costume design by: Justyna Krzepkowska, Agnieszka Krzepkowska
Editing by: Andrzej Celiński
Cast: Rafał Gąsowski, Feliks Szajnert, Piotr Dąbrowski, Jacek Milczanowski, Magdalena Wojnarowska, Andrzej Deskur, Krzysztof Szczepaniak
Producer: Adam Kwieciński
Produced by: Grupa dr. A. R. Kwiecińskiego
Co-produced by: Odra Film, Krakowskie Biuro Festiwalowe, Telewizja Polska
Co-financed by: Regionalny Fundusz Filmowy w Krakowie, Urząd Miasta Krakowa, Urząd Marszałkowski Województwa Małopolskiego, Polski Instytut Sztuki Filmowej, Dolnośląski Fundusz Filmowy, Urząd Miasta Łodzi, Fundacja Współpracy Polsko-Niemieckiej, Fundacja Pamięć Odpowiedzialność i Przyszłość, Silenia-Film