Holland directed two more major films in Poland, "Fever" (Gorączka, 1980, entered in the 31st Berlin International Film Festival) and "A Lonely Woman" ("Kobieta samotna") in 1981, before immigrating to France shortly before the December 1981 imposition of martial law in Poland. She was told that she could not return to Poland, and was unable to see or even have any contact with her daughter for over eight months. During this time, though safe, Holland was unable to create any successful films on her own.