Return Ticket

A young peasant girl, Antonina, emigrates for bread to Canada. She stays with her uncle, who offers her marriage, but Antonina does not accept the offer. She marries a farmer from a nearby village, surreptitiously puts away pennies to pennies and sends to Poland, her son to build a house. When her husband finds out, he catcalls her in a rage and throws her out. She returns to the country, and what does she find?

Directed by Czesław Petelski, Ewa Petelska, Return Ticket leans on a strong ensemble — Janusz Andrzejewski, Henryk Bąk, Leszek Herdegen — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1979.