How did the film begin? Describe what visuals are used during the titles and opening scenes.

We see documentary footage of Warsaw in 1939. We then see a man, Władysław Szpilman, playing the piano. He is recording in a studio, when suddenly, a bomb goes off outside. As rubble and debris fall from the ceiling, Szpilman continues to play, as his recording engineer motions for him to stop. He continues to play as conditions worsen and he can no longer play anymore.

Downstairs in the lobby, Szpilman runs into a woman, Dorota, who tells him she came to the studio to hear his playing. "I am Jurek's sister," she tells him, as Jurek tells her to leave and that she can write him a fan letter later.