(Andrzej Wajda, 1956, Poland, 96 minutes)

The film that brought Andrzej Wajda international acclaim, Kanał is a harrowing depiction of the final days of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. Trapped behind enemy lines and surrounded by German forces, a unit of Home Army resistance fighters is forced into Warsaw's labyrinthine sewers in a desperate bid for survival. Hope gradually gives way to fear, sacrifice, and despair. Based on true events, Wajda's haunting film is both a powerful tribute to the Polish resistance and a testament to the human spirit in the face of impossible odds.

In Polish and German with English subtitles.

With an introduction by Natalia Kaniasty, filmmaker and Assistant Professor of Film, Television and Video Production at Webster University. As the daughter of Polish immigrants, she offers a personal perspective on the film.

Screenings of Andrzej Wajda’s films in the USA in 2026 are part of the ‘Wajda 100 Tour – North America’ project, organized by DI Factory with the financial support of the Polish Film Institute.