Żuławski went back to France , saying that he was in despair over the loss and waste of so much artistic effort . The reels of the unfinished film were ultimately not destroyed , but preserved , along with costumes and props , by the film studio and by members of the cast and crew . Although Wilhelmi died a few months later in a plane crash , the film was only released after the end of communist rule . In May 1988 , a version of the film , consisting of the preserved footage plus a commentary to fill in the narrative gaps , premiered at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival
1988 Cannes Film Festival
1988 Cannes Film Festival
On the Silver Globe (film)