Beats of Freedom

Beats of Freedom or How to Overthrow a Totalitarian Regime with the Use of a Homemade Amplifier is a captivating film about the birth and evolution of rock music in Poland. Colourful memories and surprising confessions from the country’s greatest musicians make this story memorable, as does the hard sound of Polish rock. Take a trip into a very different world that will open both your mind and ears.


Beats of Freedom is not only an unforgettable music journey, but a window onto another reality, created via unique, often shocking recordings from the last 50 years.

At a time when life in Poland was controlled by the communist regime, music became a powerful phenomenon. The Iron Curtain found itself unable to stop the viceral force of rock music, allowing young people to find pockets of freedom. From the very beginning, Polish rock stood in opposition to the monolithic, overwhelming reality it faced. Songs shattered stereotypes and formed bonds among people. One particular enclave of freedom was Jarocin Festival, vividly shown in the film though freshly unearthed archival materials never before screened until now.

Rock was one of the most important things that shaped me. Now it has become an important element of my life. I wanted this film to be my tribute to the people who had an impact on my perception of the world, and to remind new generations what this music used to be and what, I hope, it will be in the future, comments Leszek Gnoiński, director of the film.

The reality of those times made music an extremely powerful force, but when Martial Law was imposed I was only 10 and did not quite understand the meaning of lyrics. Nevertheless, my musical fascinations from the 80s deeply influenced what I do today. It’s worth telling stories about what is important to us, says Wojciech Słota, director of the film.

Many people have stories, but some have legends. This film is about the legends. Rock is a part of culture just like any other genre of good music, or poetry, film or cartoons. One cannot talk about the phenomenon of Polish freedom without describing free culture, and rock was its crucial and most popular element. Some printed underground pamphlets and distributed leaflets, while others carved guitars and constructed amplifiers. Both made their way into history.
Paweł Potoroczyn, Producer, Adam Mickiewicz Institute Director