Knife in the Water

Two men, one woman, one boat – that is all Roman Polanski needs in his debut feature to put on a subtle thriller. A couple takes a hitchhiker with them on a sailing trip across the Masurian Lake District. From early on, there are tensions between the protagonists: the couple's relationship is in crisis, the pretty young woman and the hitchhiker exchange unambiguous looks, the two men engage in an increasingly aggressive competition. KNIFE IN THE WATER won the Film Critics' (FIPRESCI) Prize in Venice as well as an Oscar nomination. For Polanski, the film was his long-coveted ticket to the West.