Krzysztof Krauze’s The Debt is one of the most important Polish films of the late 1990s. Based on true events, it spurred a lively and wide-ranging discussion of the case. This exposure in turn contributed to a presidential pardon for the two men the characters were based on. Krauze tells the story of two young, ambitious businessmen who get the opportunity of a lifetime to sign a potentially very lucrative contract. The only problem is that the bank refuses to grant them the loan they need to close the deal. That’s when their old acquaintance Gerard crops up, offering his help to find some collateral. After reviewing the details of his offer, the businessmen turn it down—but Gerard adds up his “costs” and demands to be reimbursed. The titular imaginary debt is created and it grows at a frightening pace. Gerard becomes Adam and Stefan’s worst nightmare, stalking and terrorizing them, pushing them to their limits. Krauze’s shocking film is a story of hopelessness, desperation and a noose tightening around his characters’ necks. The claustrophobic, predatory atmosphere is enhanced by Bartosz Prokopowicz’s cinematography, Michał Urbaniak’s music and the phenomenal Andrzej Chyra as the villain.