This film screened 10th December 2016.

Taking inspiration from the urban legend of Lucjan Staniak, a serial killer nicknamed ‘the Red Spider’, and the true case of another serial killer, Karol Kot,’the Vampire of Kraków’, Marcin Koszałka’s debut feature begins with teenager Karol Kremer (Filip Pławiak) stumbling across the body of a child. Recognising the killer (Adam Woronowicz), and deciding to follow him rather than raising the alarm, Karol develops a dark fascination for the older man, who calmly accepts the boy’s knowledge of his crimes, and the two forge a strange relationship. Opaque and ambiguous, it’s a film that lingers in the viewer’s mind.

Screening as part of IFI & Kinopolis Polish Film Festival. For more details see the festival homepage.