In 1977, the production of Andrzej Żuławski’s On the Silver Globe was sabotaged by the Polish Ministry of Culture for failing to conform to principles of socialism. Banned from not only filmmaking but all professional work in his homeland, Żuławski conceptualised Possession (1981)—a divorce story for a generation—from the despair he was experiencing as an artist, father, and husband.

Possession follows Mark (Sam Neill) and Anna (Isabelle Adjani), a married couple on the verge of a nervous breakup. Mark suspects infidelity, but is instead drawn into a world of unimaginable horror, one of doppelgangers and monsters where walls of reason and system crumble.

Żuławski and Adjani, both marginalised by the film industries of their home countries at the time, were not afraid to push boundaries. Their collaboration resulted in a landmark of psychological horror that continues to provoke and captivate. Adjani’s disturbing performance as Anna earned her Best Actress at Cannes and remains one of the most memorable performances of all time.

Andrzej Żuławski (1940–2016, Poland) was a filmmaker and writer best known for directing the cult classic Possession (1981). He began his film career in Poland, but political censorship pushed him to work on the other side of the Iron Curtain. Żuławski’s films are known for their intense surreal imagery and philosophical depth reflecting the sociopolitical milieu of his time. Though often polarising, Żuławski’s exploration of human extremes earned him lasting recognition as one of European cinema’s most original auteurs. Other notable films include The Third Part of the Night (1971), The Devil (1972), and On the Silver Globe (1988).