City 44

The film City of 44 tells the stories of young people who live their lives as if every day is their last. This is not due to an excess of bravery or frivolity - this attitude is natural given the reality they face. The year is 1944 and their stories are set in German-occupied Warsaw.

These Polish students see their involvement in the underground movement not only as a patriotic duty, but also as a youthful adventure, an opportunity to show off to their peers and impress the girls. They flirt, show off and make plans during resistance exercises, unaware that the coming summer will become the toughest test of their lives. They have no idea what the war has in store for them.

The plot of City 44 is based on real events. On August 1, 1944, the Polish resistance movement represented by the Home Army (Armia Krajowa) launched an armed uprising to liberate Warsaw from the grip of Nazi Germany. Our young heroes, led by the charismatic leader Cobra, will form one of the bravest units of the uprising. They are witnesses and actors of sacrifice and heroism, but also of cruelty, betrayal and murder. They learn to love and discover what hate is. History gives them a bloody and cruel lesson as they grow up.

City of 44 is a film with set design, costumes and visual effects unparalleled not only in Poland. The special effects were created by Richard Bain, who has worked with such cinematic visionaries as Christopher Nolan, Peter Jackson and Terry Gilliam. He has created visual effects for worldwide blockbusters including Casino Royale, Inception, King Kong and Les Misérables. Czech post-production studio UPP also collaborated on the stunning effects, and some parts of Prague played the streets of Warsaw. Over 3,000 extras also worked on the film, and 5,000 tons of debris were used to recreate the war-torn city.