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Originally running 234 minutes long and filmed in black-and-white CinemaScope, Popioly is Andrzej Wajda's Western-style war epic. The screenplay is based on the novel Popioly by Stefan Zeromski and adapted by Aleksander Scibor-Rylski. Set in the early 19th century, the story concerns the Polish legion led by General Dombrowski (Daniel Olbrychski), who fought on the side of Napoleon Bonaparte (Janusz Zakrzenski). The original running time was cut down to 160 minutes for international release. Popioly was shown in competition at the 1966 Cannes Film Festival.