In the Netflix miniseries Project UFO In "Kasper Bajon’s film," set against the backdrop of communist-era Poland in the early 1980s, a village faces upheaval due to reports of extraterrestrial life. A local farmer claims he found aliens residing at the base of a nearby lake. Regardless of whether this claim holds truth, it stirs significant worry among the governing Polish United Workers' Party. The movie showcases striking visual styles alongside insightful social critique. Project UFO Envisions scenarios where a community centered on government oversight begins to feel uneasy with extreme notions of freedom. The stars include Piotr Adamczyk, Mateusz KoÅ›ciukiewicz, Julia Kijowska, and Maja Ostaszewska.
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PROJECT UFO STREAM IT OR PASS ON IT?
Opening Shot: "The 1980s Have Only Just Started" is displayed in Polish on the glowing green monitor of an IBM computer, using a font that clearly shows how deeply entrenched we are in the 1980s. Meanwhile, intriguing developments are unfolding along the border between Poland and the USSR. Project UFO suggests "these events might have occurred…"
The Gist: From Zbigniew Sokolik's viewpoint (played by Kościukiewicz), these events are undeniable. Operating a modest electronics repair store in the countryside of Warmia, Sokolik experiences something extraordinary one evening. As his collection of analog devices begins malfunctioning inexplicably, he decides to cycle towards a local lake. There, he observes an eerie green glow and sees flames engulfing the surrounding power lines. Capturing images of this enigmatic phenomenon using his manual film camera, Sokolik then sends off the developed negatives as evidence of extraterrestrial intervention. Close Encounters , a nationwide TV show presented by scientist-turned-media celebrity Adamczyk (Jan Polgar).
Invited to perform in Warsaw Close Encounters Sokolik faces humiliation when Polgar ridicules his claims that "UFO beings" emerged from the Earth's oceans after concealing themselves for millennia. However, Polgar’s intentions run deeper than merely eliciting laughter from the studio audience; as someone who benefits from the status quo under communist rule, maintaining control over a impoverished yet compliant populace, Polgar views Sokolik’s revelation—regardless of its truth—as an encroachment on this stability. When the repairman returns to Warmia and vents his grievances to local police officer Julia Borewicz (played by Kijowska), Polgar teams up with Wera Wierusz, a Warsaw-based news journalist acting as a government spokesperson, plotting to claim credit for uncovering the UFO findings for their own gain.
Project UFO extracts significant drama from its Cold War-era backdrop, featuring Jan Polgar cruising around in his affordable yet vibrant yellow car across monotonous terrains marked by massive apartment complexes. His spouse, Lenta (played by Marianna Zydek), indulges herself with luxuries such as having her own personal massage therapist despite being cheated on by Polgar with another woman named Wera. Meanwhile, Poland wrestles with labor conflicts and economic issues concerning food costs. The show simultaneously introduces a broader existential query linked to these discussions about extraterrestrial encounters: How potent can an ambitious concept be within a system that suppresses independent thinking? Perhaps indeed, there might actually be a UFO floating above a Polish-Soviet frontier lake. However, for those governing under communism, just the possibility itself poses a far more critical challenge than reality ever would.
Which TV Shows Would You Compare It To? Project UFO actor Piotr Adamczyk can also be spotted in the Netflix crime series Go Ahead, Brother . And 1983 , which marked the streamer’s inaugural Polish production, envisioned a Communist alternate reality wherein the Iron Curtain remained intact indefinitely.
Our Take: Are you inclined to believe? It's entertaining to emulate someone like Zbigniew Sokolik, approach enigmatic phenomena with gravity, and anticipate extraterrestrials capable of breathing underwater to unexpectedly manifest before the Polish populace of the 1980s, who were championing unity and labor rights. Yet, even though some form of reality undoubtedly exists beyond our current understanding, Project UFO Probably isn’t that show. Rather, what’s fascinating is how flustered government agents become at just the hint of an alien presence. The series highlights the amount of funds allocated for developing Jan Polgar’s work. Close Encounters , and how its contemporary TV studio, equipped with advanced technology, is essentially transmitting a modern form of propaganda. Details about initial encounters, and variations on Western-imported science fiction themes. (The show’s very name is an import.) But UFO It also highlights how Polgar’s role as a useful propagandist is waning and could soon be taken over by someone more manipulative. (A tactic to ensure everyone focuses solely in one direction.) What measures might Polgar take, and whom could he harm, to maintain his comfortable existence as the nation’s sole conspiracy theorist supported by the Communists?
Perhaps that idea is more ambitious than what's conveyed in the writing. Project UFO It could genuinely work. However, visually, it definitely aligns well with depicting a nation undergoing change and a society experiencing turmoil. The narrative cleverly positions Sokolik as the underdog facing off against Polgar, Wera, and the Polish Workers' Party—who represent authority and influence. Just imagine what an electronics repairman armed with a unique concept might achieve when pitted against wealth and power? It turns out he may accomplish quite a lot, particularly once his alleged findings expose the desperation and incompetence at higher levels. Even without involving extraterrestrials, this scenario unfolds intriguingly.
Sex and Skin: Jan and Vera encounter each other for intimate relations at the latter's elegantly furnished flat, which stands in stark contrast to the plain concrete walls and vandalized hallways nearby.
Parting Shot: As party leaders in Warsaw, through Polgar, direct Sokolik to speak with an old farmer who insists he was kidnapped by small green aliens, the story takes a more complicated turn. "They took me inside their spacecraft..."
Sleeper Star: Julia Kijowska is amusing in Project UFO As Julia Borewicz, a police corporal from Warmia, who becomes entangled in Sokolik’s narrative about unexplained extraterrestrial occurrences.
Most Pilot-y Line: "Your program doesn’t make any sense — UFOs never touch down here; they only land in America," remarks Polgar’s supervisor, touching upon one of the more prominent motifs in the series. Project UFO In 1980s Poland, even outlandish theories are brought in from other places, if they can be found there.
Our Call: Watch It. Featuring some comedic moments, generous helpings of science fiction frenzy, and much to discuss regarding governmental authority versus individual might, Project UFO enjoys speculating about what could have happened if aliens had visited communist Poland in the 1980s.
Johnny Loftus ( @glennganges He is an independent author and editor who resides in the Chicagoland area. His writing has been featured in publications such as The Village Voice, All Music Guide, Pitchfork Media, and Nicki Swift.
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