The Maids of Wilko 1979

At the age of 40, Wiktor Ruben Daniel Olbrychski returns to the family property Wilko, where he once spent his late teens and early twenties as a tutor to the young sisters. Now they are all adults—wives and mothers—and the passage of time has reshaped the dynamics among them. He discovers that Fela, who was once closest to him, has been dead for some time; her grave is largely forgotten, and the others are reluctant to speak of her. His reunion brings a quiet disappointment as he notices how the women have changed, and how the memories of the past are mingled with the realities of the present.

Julia Anna Seniuk, now a mother of two, does not resemble the first object of his desire, nor does she offer the affection he might have expected. Jola [Maja Komorowska], seemingly unhappy in her marriage, pursues him and teases him until he stops drawing on the painful memories of their shared history. Kazia [Krystyna Zachwatowicz], a divorcee, is treated as less worthy by others, and she becomes the most demanding voice in his attempts at intellectual reflection. Zosia Stanisławа Celińska remains distant and outspoken, shaping the mood of the house with a sharp, unvarnished honesty.

That leaves Tunia Christine Pascal, who was only a child when he last knew her, and who now bears a resemblance to Fela. Wiktor spends time at Wilko, yet he is unable to see that his return has stirred once-forgotten dreams and hopes within the sisters, reshaping the unspoken undercurrents that flow through their conversations.