The largest Polish production of all time when shooting began in 1976, it was halted in the fall of ’77 by the Ministry of Culture due to its alleged subversiveness, before finally being reconstituted and released after the fall of communism over a decade later. The resulting sci-fi epic follows a group of astronauts who, after crash-landing on the moon, forge a new society.

As the first generation dies off, their children devise new rituals and mythologies to structure the emergent civilization, until a politician from Earth arrives and is hailed as the Messiah.

Based on the sci-fi trilogy by Żuławski’s great uncle, and screening here in a new restoration, On the Silver Globe is perhaps the grandest expression of Żuławski’s visionary artistry.

From 31 Mar - 16 Apr, Visions of Europe returns to celebrate the breadth of European cinema. With a handpicked selection of 24 films from a Macedonian witch tale to a race through Berlin, we take in the best of European film including previews, festival hits and classics returning to the big screen.