Nationalism: The dark side of Poland

Poland stands at a historic crossroads. Praised as NATO’s frontline against Russia and a key supporter of Ukraine, the country is also facing deep internal divisions over nationalism, religion, civil liberties and the environment.

This investigative documentary explores a nation torn between tradition and modernity: from the ultra-nationalist rallies at the Jasna Gora Monastery to the coal mines of Silesia, from polluted towns where children struggle to breathe to the fierce battle over abortion rights and LGBT freedoms.

Through powerful testimonies from miners, doctors, activists, families and political figures, the film reveals a Poland shaped by Catholic identity, conservative politics, environmental crisis and a new generation determined to fight for change.

00:00 Poland at Breaking Point
00:34 Holy Site Taken Over by Nationalists
02:07 Inside the Far-Right Initiation Ceremony
04:07 Poland Becomes NATO’s Front Line
07:11 Deep Inside Europe’s Coal Country
09:15 650 Meters Underground, Risking Their Lives
18:36 Children Struggle to Breathe in Polluted Poland
27:31 Abortion Rights Divide the Nation
34:50 A Historic Trial Against an Activist
38:14 Izabela’s Death Sparks National Outrage
46:40 The LGBT Activist Targeted by State Media
51:19 Leaving the Church in Catholic Poland