The Potato Beetle

Overview

The attack of the Colorado potato beetle on crops in the GDR, Poland and Czechoslovakia in 1950 was interpreted by the authorities as a planned American action against the Eastern Bloc. The Americans were to drop the Colorado beetle from planes which provided aid for the people of West Germany. Propaganda was spread everywhere – posters, radio, and cinema. In the film "Stonka", apart from propaganda and instructions, we could see some high-quality shots showing the beetle's life cycle. The voiceover’s commentary and the Colorado beetle close-ups make the production more dramatic. It is typical of nature films, in which the state television specialized later. Apart from the history of the pest, the potato is another protagonist of the film - its position in the Polish diet, agriculture, and customs. "