Andrzej Antkowiak

Poland's submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1973

Ola, a local school teacher, meets Janek, a sanatorium patient, and his friend Ark.

Set in the 17th century. A convent in a small town is being visited by high-ranking Catholic official trying to exorcise the nun supposedly possessed by demons. A local priest have been burnt for creating this condition by sexual temptation of the nuns, especially the Mother superior who bring on the collective hysteria of the group. There is another young priest who is to help with the exorcism. His first meeting with the convent head, Mother Joan of the Angels, has her seemingly possessed by Satan - she yells blasphemies and incites the priest. She begs the priest to save her and to help her to be a saint.