Quo Vadis (2001 film)

Quo Vadis
Directed by	Jerzy Kawalerowicz
Produced by	Mirosław Słowiński Jerzy Kajetan Frykowski
Screenplay by	Jerzy Kawalerowicz
Based on	Quo Vadis by Henryk Sienkiewicz
Starring	Paweł Deląg Magdalena Mielcarz Bogusław Linda
Music by	Jan Kaczmarek
Edited by	Cezary Grzesiuk Chuck Bush
Production company	Zespół Filmowy Kadr
Distributed by	Zespół Filmowy Kadr
Release dates	14 September 2001
Running time	170 minutes
Country	Poland
Language	Polish
Budget	$ 18 mln (ca.76 140 000 PLN)

Quo Vadis is a 2001 Polish film directed by Jerzy Kawalerowicz based on the book of the same title by Henryk Sienkiewicz. It was Poland's submission to the 74th Academy Awards for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but was not nominated.

Plot

The central plot in the movie revolves around the love of a Roman patrician, Marcus Vinicius, towards a Christian girl (coming from the territory of modern-day Poland) set against the backdrop of the persecutions against Christians during the reign of Nero.

In the beginning, Lygia, a Christian and hostage of Rome, becomes the object of Vinicius' love but she refuses his advances. Vinicius' friend Petronius tries to manipulate Nero, who has authority over all Roman hostages, to give Lygia to Vinicius, but Lygia is taken into hiding by Christians. Marcus Vinicius decides to find her and force her to be his wife. He goes to a Christian meeting along with Croton, a gladiator, to find her. After following her from the meeting, Marcus tries to take her, but Ursus, a strong man and friend of Lygia, kills Croton. Marcus himself is wounded in the fight, but is taken care of by Lygia and the Christians. Seeing their kindness he begins to convert to Christianity, and Lygia accepts him.

Rome catches fire while the emperor, Nero, is away. Nero returns and sings to the crowd, but they become angry. At the suggestion of Nero's wife, the Christians are blamed for the fire, providing a long series of cruel spectacles to appease the crowd. In one of the spectacles, Ursus faces a bull carrying Lygia on its back. Ursus wins and, with the crowd and guards in approval, Nero lets them live.

Nero kills himself, and Vinicius and Lygia leave Rome.

Cast

• Paweł Deląg – Marcus Vinicius
• Magdalena Mielcarz – Lygie Callina
• Bogusław Linda – Petronius
• Michał Bajor – Nero
• Jerzy Trela – Chilon Chilonides
• Danuta Stenka – Pomponia Graecina
• Franciszek Pieczka – Saint Peter
• Krzysztof Majchrzak – Tigellinus
• Rafał Kubacki – Ursus

See also

• Cinema of Poland
• List of submissions to the 74th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film

External links

• Quo Vadis at IMDb