Review: Did This Hand Kill?
| Author | Cezary Lazarewicz |
| Genre | Nonfiction: True Crime |
| Language(s) | English |
| Format | 264 Pages |
| Publisher | Open Letter Books |
| ISBN | 978-1-948830-79-9 |
| Photos by Jenny Graham | Mihaela-Adina Drăgan |
Reviewed by Mihaela-Adina Drăgan
Imagine standing in a courtroom, the air thick with tension, as an accused woman faces witnesses and the jury. This is the riveting story Cezary Łazarewicz unravels in his nonfiction book, Did This Hand Kill? (Open Letter, 2024), translated by Sean Gasper Bye.
This is an enthralling exploration divided into two distinct parts: The first part meticulously reconstructs the dramatic events that transpired in the villa at Brzuchowice, near Lviv, Poland, on the nights of December 30–31, 1931. Łazarewicz delves into the ensuing trial and the widespread social and media frenzy that accompanied it. The second part of the book ventures into the shadowy aftermath of the accused governess, Margarita Emilia Gorgonowa, and how her life after 1939 unfolded. The haunting question remains: Was Gorgonowa justly convicted? Is justice even possible?
Łazarewicz draws heavily from the case files, preserved in state archives, and from contemporary press reports, thus reconstructing the evidence proceedings and trials, including the witness statements and the arguments (of both prosecution and defense) with impeccable accuracy. Even without having perused the original files, one can sense the intricate craftsmanship of this 20th century judicial process, surprisingly akin to modern-day proceedings.
It is striking how the legal institutions and mechanisms today mirror those from that 1930s Poland, as we attempt to approach the truth of blurry events.
The author vividly captures the charged atmosphere surrounding the trial, the pervasive social and media hysteria, and the relentless pursuit of sensationalism. Journalists, especially when dealing with sensitive and emotionally charged topics, may be tempted to exaggerate or contribute to false narratives based solely on imagination or to keep readers engaged.
Łazarewicz presents this phenomenon well. He also shares alternative theories that surfaced during the trial, or emerged later. His portrayal of the Brzuchowice villa as a domestic hell is compelling, and complicates the case. He also takes his time to build the tension, from the moment when Henryk Zaremba finds out his daughter, Luisa, is dead, to the excruciating trial itself–and all the fear and guilt that came with it.
The second part of Łazarewicz’s narrative is a detective-like quest to piece together the wartime and post-war fate of Rita Gorgonowa from fragmented information. When discussing Rita, the author relies on the perspectives of those who knew her, leaving it to the readers to discern which psychological profiles resonate as truthful.
The author beautifully depicts the shift in Zaremba’s perspective as the lover of Rita. Initially, he viewed Gorgonowa as a savior and the perfect addition to their family. Over time, he grew to see her less as a nursemaid and more as the “Lady of the House” (Łazarewicz 71). Zaremba wrote how:
‘Her laugh filled the garden on that very first Sunday. She conquered the hearts of my
little ones. They took to her immediately. The children, hitherto shabby, began to look
cleaner. The positive impression she made grew week by week, month by month.’
(Łazarewicz 71)
Fast forward to the night of his daughter’s death and its aftermath, where he begins to view her with suspicion. He notices every change in her behavior, every detail out of place, any gesture that might seem lacking in empathy, and any ill-conceived remark she intended to be humorous. Łazarewicz recounts those moments on pages 19–20 with gorgeous detail:
Rita, whom Zaremba observes out of the corner of his eye, doesn’t come near the bed.
She’s wearing green slippers and a heavy, brown fur coat with a collar. ‘Must
you put on a fur coat when someone shouts ‘murder’?’“Henryk darling,’ she whispers in his ear. ‘I’m worried about you. Pull yourself together.
What’s done can’t be undone.’Henryk darling doesn’t reply.’
Adina Drăgan
Could it be that Gorgonowa was so accustomed to taking that coat and slippers when leaving her room that she did it instinctively? Was she the murderer? I suppose readers will never know for sure. That’s part of the appeal of this unsolved mystery–how do we approach the truth of gruesome misdeeds?
Łazarewicz’s strength lies in his ability to maintain a judicious distance, refraining from imposing his own views on the reader. He is thorough and persistent in his investigation, giving voice to all parties, including those with seemingly far-fetched theories. The narrative leaves readers grappling with a question that may never be answered, as time, war, and the fallibility of human memory shroud the truth. Reflecting on the final verdict, one might conclude that the court itself was left unconvinced of Gorgonowa’s guilt or innocence.
It is remarkable how, despite the motion of time, human nature remains constant while only the tools evolve. Today, the Gorgonowa case might dominate internet headlines, with spin-off content as social media reels, hot takes, podcast updates, and more.
But in the 1930s, newspapers were the main way information was dispensed, and sensationalized, which this book conveys well. Daily updates on the trial kept readers glued; it was entertainment for the public consumption, as well as a botched attempt at journalistic integrity, perhaps.
Written in accessible, vivid prose free from legal jargon, the book reads like a gripping crime novel despite being a factual report. Did This Hand Kill? is an outstanding act of reporting, undertaken so many years after the events and recovered from the aftermath, archival remnants of war, and is itself a testament to the author’s skill and dedication.
Mihaela-Adina Drăgan is a scriptwriter and aspiring filmmaker residing in Bucharest, Romania. Her writing is deeply intertwined with her emotions and experiences, drawing inspiration from her family, friends, and fleeting encounters with strangers who leave a lasting impression.
She primarily writes scripts, and she also has a passion for fiction and poetry. She recently received a bachelor’s degree in American Studies from Ovidius University of Constanța and is now a graduate student studying Society, Multimedia, and Spectacle at the University of Bucharest. To read more of her writing, visit https://substack.com/@adinadragan.
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How to Enjoy SEEfest At Home
While the 15th South East European Film Festival is temporarily postponed, we invite you to stay in touch and enjoy some of the films from our past editions online. They are available on Netflix, Amazon, iTunes and some on YouTube (and some for free)! We’ll share updates, tips, and recommendations on Instagram at @seefest and here, on our website.
Stay safe, and we hope you enjoy our movie choices! Be sure to let us know in the comments, which films are your favorites! Check out SEEfest At Home Part 2
SARAJEVO
This lavishly produced thriller was first screened at the opening of our festival in 2014. The story is told from the point of view of the examining magistrate who was tasked with investigating the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo in June 2014. It perfectly summarized the festival’s theme, “Europe in time of turmoil”, highlighting the turbulent past that looms large over the present.
Directed by Andreas Prochaska. Main cast: Florian Teichtmeister, Jürgen Maurer, Melika Foroutan, Edin Hasanović.
SARAJEVO is available on Netflix.
THE WAY I SPENT THE END OF THE WORLD
Shown at SEEfest back in 2007, the film is a bitter-sweet throwback to Romania on the eve of the 1989 revolution, with ordinary people committing small and oftentimes comic acts of defiance while naively dreaming of swimming across the Danube to freedom – or fantasizing about escaping in a submarine.
Directed by Catalin Mitulescu. Main cast: Dorotheea Petre, Timotei Duma, Ionut Becheru, Jean Constantin.
THE WAY I SPENT THE END OF THE WORLD is available on Amazon Prime.
THE CONSTITUTION
The opening film of the 2017 edition of our festival. While recovering from a homophobia-driven assault, a Croatian professor confronts his own xenophobia after agreeing to help his Serbian neighbor memorize the Croatian constitution for a citizenship exam. An example of a great director-writer pairing (Rajko Grlić and Ante Tomić), this film features three amazing actors from Serbia and Croatia in a very funny and poignant ‘love story about hate.’
Directed by Rajko Grlić. Main cast: Nebojša Glogovac, Ksenija Marinković, Dejan Aćimović.
THE CONSTITUTION is available on Amazon Prime.
NO MAN’S LAND
Danis Tanović’s Academy Award®-winning satire of the war in the Balkans is an astounding balancing act, an acidic black comedy grounded in the brutality and horror of war. Stuck in an abandoned trench between enemy lines, a Serb and a Bosnian play the blame game in a comic tit-for-tat struggle while a wounded Bosnian soldier lies helplessly on a land mine. A French tank unit of the U.N.’s humanitarian force (known locally as “the Smurfs”), a scheming British TV reporter, a German mine defuser, and the U.N. high command (led by a bombastically ineffectual Simon Callow) all become tangled in the chaotic rescue as the tenuous cease-fire is only a spark away from detonation. Tanovic directs with a ferocious, angry eloquence and makes his points with vivid metaphors and savage humor as harrowing as it is hilarious. Searing and smart, this satire carries an emotional recoil.– written by Sean Axmaker.
Directed by Danis Tanović. Main cast: Branko Đurić, Rene Bitorajac, Filip Šovagović. SEEfest held a special 10th-anniversary screening of the film in 2012.
NO MAN’S LAND is available on Amazon Prime.
THE EYE OF ISTANBUL
The legendary Armenian-Turkish photographer Ara Güler dedicated his life to recording the spirit of one of the most vivid cities on earth: Istanbul. Güler’s colorful life and witty commentary will keep you entertained while you discover the unforgettable vistas and rarely seen corners of the great city. The film, directed by Binnur Karaevli and Fatih Kaymak, screened at SEEfest in 2016.
THE EYE OF ISTANBUL is available on iTunes/Apple, and Amazon Prime.
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While we all need to do our part and follow the public health guidelines to keep us and others safe, shelter-in-place can be challenging. When you take a break from working remotely or get tired of binge-watching your favorite shows, join the SEEfest community of artists and create a short video, podcast, jingle or cartoon and share with us on Instagram and tag us @seefest or submit to us via the website.
SEEfest program and activities are supported, in part, by the California Arts Council, a state agency; Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Department of Art and Culture; and presented with the support of the City of West Hollywood. For more info on WeHo Arts programming please visit www.weho.org/arts or follow via social media @WeHoArts. Special thanks to ELMA, and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for their continued support of our programs.
Opening Night Film & More Premieres Announced!
OPENING NIGHT FILM REVEALED…
Moon Hotel Kabul by Romania’s Anca Damian will open SEEfest with its West Coast premiere on May 1, 2019, at 7 PM at the Writers Guild Theater, 135 S. Doheny Drive in Beverly Hills.
Damian won Best Director Award at the Warsaw International Film Festival and the Mirada International Award at the Madrid Film Festival for this gripping mystery/thriller about Ivan, a charismatic but cynical investigative journalist with a sharp sense for story and no time for compassion. Everything changes after a one night stand in a Kabul hotel room with a translator named Ioana. Not long after their encounter, Ioana is found dead, and Ivan sets out on an investigation unlike any he has undertaken.
With all the best qualities of a sophisticated mystery and stellar lead performances, Moon Hotel Kabul will keep you guessing until the end.
“Anca Damian is the Agnès Varda of Romanian cinema: versatile, innovative, and audacious!” said SEEfest founder & artistic director Vera Mijojlić. “We are honored to open the 2019 South East European Film Festival Los Angeles with her latest daring work.”
This event is supported by the Blue Heron Foundation.
This year’s SEEfest, running May 1-8, will explore the theme of cinematic audacity by drawing attention to filmmakers whose works grapple with complex existential, ethical, and historical questions in innovative, and provocative ways. You can secure your festival pass now on Eventbrite.
MORE PREMIERES
See more of the festival lineup online and get your festival pass today on Eventbrite.
DEEP CUTS
World Premiere
Croatia, 2018, 75’
Directors: Dubravka Turić, Filip Mojzes, Filip Peruzović
The thematic framework of the 3-story anthology feature film Deep Cuts is violence in all of its forms: as a destruction of intimacy, family, integrity, trust.
THE NIGHT OF THE BEAR
World Premiere
Romania, 2018, 77’
Director: Paul-Razvan Macovei
Three 17-year olds and would-be friends share emotionally-charged stories of their family life in the course of one summer night. Their often-absurd fights are mediated by the ironical appearance of a giant discarded teddy bear.
In his debut feature director, Macovei employs a unique story technique that will be especially appealing to young adult audiences (16 to 18-year-olds). He breaks the 4th wall to allow his subjects to talk directly to the audience and uses 2D animation featuring bears in lieu of people to illustrate family dynamics.
This screening is supported by the Romanian Cultural Institute, New York.
SUNRISE IN KIMMERIA
West Coast Premiere
Cyprus, 2018, 99’
Director: Simon Farmakas
A young villager gets caught in a tragicomic tug-o’-war, when a strange sphere, tracked by a foreign intelligence agency, crash-lands into his potato field.
Avoiding the stereotypical ethnographic comedies of the genre, the storyline intertwines the lives of the local villagers with the intelligence agents, combining the peasant-like naivety with international conspiracies and intrigues, conveying similarities that the latter has with the run-of-the-mill village rivalries and their struggle for authority and ownership.
Screening in the Sci-Fi program — stay tuned for more program announcements.
IRINA
North American Premiere
Bulgaria, 2018, 96’
Director: Nadejda Koseva
Irina is a part-time waitress in a small Bulgarian town. On the same day, she gets fired her husband gets into a serious accident, plunging them even deeper into poverty. To make ends meet, she becomes a surrogate mother.
With her emotions oscillating between disappointing family circumstances and new pregnancy, Irina confronts them with fierce determination and in her own unsentimental way discovers what it means to love and to forgive.
Winner of Best First Film, Best Actress and Union of Bulgarian Filmmakers award at the Golden Rose festival in Bulgaria, Special Jury Award for actress Martina Apostolova and Ecumenical Jury Award at Warsaw IFF, Best Feature Film Award at Tirana FF, Best First Feature Film Award & Best Actress Award at Cottbus FF, and Special mention to the actress Martina Apostolova at Tbilisi IFF.
This screening is supported by Calypso Media.
AUDACIOUS STORYTELLERS: SEEfest CULTURAL AND LITERARY SALON
A historian, a literary critic, an actress, and an author come together for an evening of scintillating cultural exchange. These dynamic panelists draw on their knowledge, experience, and anecdotes to contemplate the theme of audacity in all of its forms.
The SEEFest Cultural and Literary Salon will explore audacity in the literature, history, and cinema of South East Europe, where geopolitical borders act as audacious protagonists in sociocultural affairs.
Presented with the support of the City of West Hollywood’s Arts Division. Click here for details and to RSVP.
SEEFEST SPONSORS
SEEfest program and activities are supported, in part, by the California Arts Council, a state agency; Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; and presented with the support of the City of West Hollywood’s Arts Division. Special thanks to ELMA for continued support of our programs.
Blue Heron Foundation’s 15th Anniversary Concert – April 22, 2-4 PM
This year the L.A.-based Blue Heron Foundation celebrates its 15th Anniversary with an afternoon of beauty and upliftment with the music of mezzo-soprano Roxana Constantinescu.
Extraordinary years of programming in support of Romanian and Moldovan orphaned and abandoned children deserve an extraordinary celebration.
DATE: Saturday, April 22, 2017
TIME: 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
LOCATION: West Hollywood, California (Exact address will be communicated upon ticket purchase)
TICKETS
Stefania Magidson, President of the Blue Heron Foundation, is a distinguished member of SEEfest’s Advisory Board & Chair of the Romanian Program Committee.
To read more about the Blue Heron Foundation and its critical work please go here.
“Waiting for August” Romanian Film in U.S. Theaters
SEEfest Staff Writer | October 6, 2014, 1:01 PM
We are excited to announce the Romanian documentary “Waiting for August,” directed by Teodora Ana Mihai, has landed limited theatrical distribution in the States!
The film won Best Documentary at Karlovy Vary and Best International Feature Documentary at HotDocs.
The synopsis reads:
Georgiana Halmac turns 15 this winter. She lives with her six brothers and sisters in a social housing condo on the outskirts of Bacau, Romania. Their mother Liliana was forced to leave her family behind to go to 
Turin, Italy, to earn money. She won’t be back before summer. During their mother’s absence, Georgiana has been catapulted into the role of head of the family, responsible for her siblings. Her adolescence is cut brutally short.
Caught between puberty and responsibility, Georgiana moves ahead, improvising as she goes. Phone conversations with her mom are her only guidelines. Intimate scenes from the daily life of the seven siblings show us – in an uncensored, fly-on-the-wall style – how real events are experienced and interpreted with great imagination by the children.
The film will be distributed by Rise and Shine and will be playing at Laemmle theaters until October 9th.
To see show times and purchase tickets click, here.
To learn more about the film visit the following websites:
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