Decalogue V

"Thou shalt not kill."

1989 0h 57m PL

🙌

8.0

BANGER

★8.0TMDB · 167

DramaTV MovieCrime

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Jacek, an angry drifter, murders a taxi driver, brutally and without motive. His case is assigned to Piotr, an idealistic young lawyer who is morally opposed to the death penalty, and their interactions take on an emotional honesty that throws into stark relief for Piotr the injustice of killing of any kind.

“Thou shalt not kill.”

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Cast

Mirosław Baka
Jacek Łazar
Krzysztof Globisz
Piotr Balicki
Jan Tesarz
Waldemar Rekowski
Artur Barciś
Worker
Krystyna Janda
Dorota Geller
Olgierd Łukaszewicz
Andrzej Geller
Maciej Szary
Supervisor
Zbigniew Zapasiewicz
Commission Chairman

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Krzysztof Kieślowski
Writers: Krzysztof Kieślowski, Krzysztof Piesiewicz
Languages: Polish
Countries: Germany, Poland

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 57-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

37 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Germany, Poland.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Part of the "The Decalogue" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski, shot by Sławomir Idziak. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Zbigniew Preisner. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Ewa Smal shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Mirosław Baka and Krzysztof Globisz and Jan Tesarz carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Krzysztof Kieślowski directs. Sławomir Idziak behind the camera. Zbigniew Preisner scores. Ewa Smal cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Germany, Poland. Dialogue in Polish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 57-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
237 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3International production across 2 countries: Germany, Poland.
4Part of the "The Decalogue" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
5Directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski, shot by Sławomir Idziak. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Zbigniew Preisner. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Ewa Smal shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Mirosław Baka and Krzysztof Globisz and Jan Tesarz carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "Thou shalt not kill.".
10IMDB entry: tt0094987 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Released under 33 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Sławomir Idziak
Original score: Zbigniew Preisner
Editing: Ewa Smal
Production design: Halina Dobrowolska
Costume design: Małgorzata Obłoza
Makeup / hair: Jadwiga Cichocka
Runtime: 57 min · 0h 57m
Status: Released
Original language: PL
IMDB: Decalogue V (1989)

Part of

The Decalogue

The Decalogue Collection is a profound and thought-provoking anthology of ten one-hour films, each inspired by one of the Ten Commandments. Created by acclaimed Polish filmmaker Krzysztof Kieślowski, this cinematic masterpiece explores complex moral and ethical dilemmas faced by the residents of a housing complex in late 20th-century Poland. The series originally aired on Polish television in 1989 and has since been recognized as one of the greatest achievements in world cinema. Each film in the collection stands on its own as a powerful exploration of human nature and the struggles that arise when faced with challenging life choices. The Decalogue Collection is an essential viewing experience for anyone interested in understanding the depths of human experience, as it delves into themes such as love, faith, guilt, and redemption.