Bravery in the Shadows: The Polish Home Army’s Unsung Heroes

We were able to talk to the director of this short film and delve into the inspiration behind his vision for this short film.

Director Aidan Jones said that one of the intrigues that made him decide to make this film was the challenge of making a period piece. He had made several films before, but this was to be his first film taking place in a particular historical period. 

"I also am a big fan of the movie Karol: A Man Who Became Pope, and wanted to attempt a similar 'feel'. Given my limited resources, I thought I’d write something very short and small…basically just a single, self-contained scene. I started doing some research, and settled on doing a film about the couriers who carried messages for the Polish Home Army. (Later, when I was studying in Poland, I got to learn more about the Home Army at the Warsaw Uprising museum, which was a neat connection!)"

Another impressive element of this short film that you don't see in other ultra low-budget films is the use of the German language for some of the lines. It's an intense addition, but the story still flows for young children that cannot read the captions. Aidan Jones was the voice talent behind the film and, although he had not previously studied German, wanted to add this touch to give a level of realism to the film.

"Because I intended the film for a primarily English-speaking audience, I ended up just using Google translate for the lines, and approximating the pronunciation as best I could. It’s not a technique I would recommend now, but as a high school student, I thought it was great!"

And it really does work, especially alongside actress Emma Jones who does a great job of building the tension as she tries to calm herself by reading and praying the Rosary in anticipation of her possible arrest.

The film ends with a bang and continues with a few interesting and powerful facts about the undercover Home Army and the sacrifices they made to preserve their country.

When asked about whether or not his future films will have similar themes, Aidan Jones said that he does not foresee making another film about World War II but acknowledged that anything is possible. "However, themes like bravery and sacrifice will certainly reappear in my future work."