Ashes and Diamonds
The most troublesome task was to convince the communist authorities to display "Ashes and Diamonds". Party intellectuals were dissatisfied with making Maciek Chełmicki the main character of the film. It was then that Andrzejewski himself, who–with the support of his fellow writers–convinced PZPR activists that the ideological message of the film was correct; without the help of the author of the novel, Wajda's work would have never been released. The official screening took place on 7 July 1958, after which "Ashes and Diamonds" could be distributed in cinemas. Despite the protests of Aleksander Ford, who demanded that the authorities ban the film, its official premiere took place on 3 October 1958. Nevertheless, due to the still existing doubts about its message, "Ashes and Diamonds" were banned from taking part in the main competition of the Cannes Film Festival. Then Lewiński sent Wajda's work to the Venice Film Festival, where–apart from the main competition–it won the award of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI).