Man of Marble was dubbed the European Citizen Kane for its breakneck searchfor the true story of a cult hero through his artifacts-one of which iscinema itself. Student filmmaker Agnieszka (Krystyna Janda) chooses forthe subject of her first TV documentary a famous bricklaying shockworkerof the fifties, Mateusz Birkut. Birkut (Jerzy Radziwilowicz) is an"official hero" whose portrait waved at the time fromgovernment buildings and whose statue now gathers dust in the back roomof a gallery. Also somewhat dusty is an old documentary film aboutBirkut, which Agnieszka examines for clues to the mysterious fate ofthis man who began as a peasant socialist and became a victim of themanipulation of human potential in the postwar industrialization period.Wajda juxtaposes the fifties and the seventies, integrating footage fromPolish newsreels and simulated documentary footage of Birkut intoAgnieszka's quest-to find and record a story well hidden in thatfootage.