In the impoverished Polish town of Olecko, Stefan Bednarz is put in charge of the construction of a large chemical plant, which is being built against the wishes of the local populace. Although it will improve the town's economic prospects and provide badly needed new jobs, the factory will also mean the destruction of many homes and adversely affect the environment. Despite his best efforts to convince the townspeople of the benefits, Bednarz has difficulty reconciling the gulf between his good intentions and reality. 'The Scar' was the debut theatrical feature by Krysztof Kieslowski and very much in keeping with social themes that continued to run throughout his acclaimed career.