Character Relationship Map: The Constant Factor

Characters

• Witold (played by Tadeusz Bradecki) — protagonist

  Protagonist and electrician school graduate who works abroad for an exhibition company. After his terminally ill mother dies in a hospital corridor, he refuses his boss's fraudulent requests, gets fra...

• Witold's Mother (played by Zofia Mrozowska) — protagonist

  Becomes suddenly ill and is left on a hospital corridor due to lack of space. She returns home and dies, an event that deeply traumatizes Witold and triggers his rebellion against workplace corruption...

• Grazyna (played by Małgorzata Zajączkowska) — supporting

  A hospital nurse who informs Witold that a bribe was needed to secure his mother a proper bed. After Witold loses his job, she remains the only person who stays close to him.

• Mariusz (played by Witold Pyrkosz) — supporting

  Witold's boss at an exhibition company who issues fraudulent visas. He repeatedly invites Witold to participate in minor frauds, leading to Witold's eventual rebellion and subsequent framing by compli...

• Stefan (played by Cezary Morawski) — supporting

  Witold's military colleague. They prepare together for a planned trip to the Himalayas when colleagues conspire to frame them at customs, resulting in Witold's dismissal.

• Stefan's Wife (played by Ewa Lejczak) — supporting

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Stefan's Wife → Stefan (wife)
• Witold's Mother → Witold (mother)
• Witold → Mariusz (Professional Boss And Employee In Conflict) — Mariusz's corrupt demands lead Witold to rebel, after which Witold's colleagues frame him and he loses his job.

  Mariusz is Witold's boss and issues fraudulent visas. He invites Witold to participate in minor frauds, and Witold refuses.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Witold → Stefan (Social Military Colleagues) — Their shared preparation for the planned expedition is part of Witold's life before he is framed at customs and loses his job.

  Witold and his military colleague Stefan prepare together for a planned trip to the Himalayas.

• Witold → Grazyna (Social Supportive Acquaintances) — Their connection begins at the hospital and becomes an important source of personal support after Witold is dismissed.

  Grazyna tells Witold that a bribe should have been paid to secure his mother a proper bed. After he loses his job, she is the only person who stays cl...

Story Analysis

Witold confronts institutional and workplace corruption while enduring personal loss, dismissal, and precarious work.

Plot Progression

1. From the Mountains to Employment — Witold completes electrician school, climbs during military service, and learns that his father died on a mountain expedition. A business card from a mountaineer helps him obtain work at an exhibition...
2. A Loss and a Refusal — Witold visits his suddenly ill mother and finds her in a hospital corridor because of limited space. Grazyna explains that a bribe should have been paid; after his mother dies at home, Witold refuses...
3. Framed at Customs — Witold's colleagues, who are complicit with Mariusz, harass him after his refusal. As he and Stefan prepare for a Himalayan trip, colleagues frame him and customs finds undeclared money, leading to hi...
4. Precarious Work and a Final Shock — Grazyna remains close to Witold after he loses his job. He supports himself through window cleaning and scaffolding work while attending mathematics lectures, and the film ends after a child is struck...