Dotknięci

Jan weds his mentally ill wife Joanna at her insistence, but her increasing dependence on sedatives, and the clandestine extra pills supplied by Jan, their son Piotr and Jan’s friend Maria, leads to Joanna’s fatal overdose. Accused of murder, Jan endures a trial, psychiatric evaluation and deep depression before the case is dropped; only after reconciling with his children does he finally leave the clinic to return home.

Directed by Wiesław Saniewski, Dotknięci leans on a strong ensemble — Ewa Błaszczyk, Piotr Fronczewski, Olgierd Łukaszewicz — 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 1989.