Second Week, Feb '07

Hello everyone,

Three films to show this week, and a good, proper trilogy they are, too. Much respected and lauded, Kieslowski remains a must-see for people who consider themselves as being serious about the cinematic art form. Of course, even if you are just looking for a good time, do come on over - take the plunge. We would be failing in our duty if we did not show THREE COLOURS at least once this year. Each one can be profitably seen by itself, but we recommend that you see them all, as they are somewhat interconnected. The BLUE, WHITE and RED bands comprise the French national tricolour, from left to right, with each corresponding to the respective word in the motto:

“Liberté, égalité, fraternité.”


Tuesday
13th February 2007
6:15 p.m. at the Auditorium

THREE COLOURS: BLUE (1993)
Runtime: 1 hour 40 minutes
Directed by Krzysztof Kieslowski

A moody, introspective sort of film, one of the best ever made. It deals with the story of a woman who faces crushing loss. The pain is so unbearable that she seeks refuge in oblivion, away from all connections to the past. The “Liberty” in this film goes beyond mere politics, instead manifesting itself in a more fundamental quest for an individual’s life. Look out for the symbolisms that permeate the film, especially with colour.



Wednesday
14th February 2007
6:15 p.m. at the Auditorium

THREE COLOURS: WHITE (1994)
Runtime: 1 hour 28 minutes
Directed by Krzysztof Kieslowski

WHITE sets a different tone from the other two, in that it seems more morbid while yet being funny (in a twisted way). “Equality” here would seem to refer to, among other things, the misfortunes of life that put people of different stations on a similar level of misery. This is what happens, and is visible when the two protagonists get together to try and sort things out. Pessimistic? Not quite. Again, flashbacks and shared threads amongst the three movies are in evidence. The symbolism is always at play; WHITE makes you see it for what it is - now virginal, now stark. The colour thing is there too in the next film, RED.



Thursday
15th February 2007
6:15 p.m. at the Auditorium

THREE COLOURS: RED (1994)
Runtime: 1 hour 39 minutes
Directed by Krzysztof Kieslowski

This winds up the trilogy in style. By all rights we should have put it for the 14th. Consider these: the colour red itself; the “Fraternity” (friendship/relationship) connection; the fact that a main character bears the name, Valentine. Fancy that! However, logistics issues made us do it this way. This film is all about the relations between people and the means they use to reach out to each other – or not. Quite appropriately, it depicts the forging of links between and among people of quite different ages and standing (shades of the previous films). The lonely old man must feel a sense of déjà vu when he eavesdrops on a young couple going through the sort of thing he faced at their age. A fitting end to the series.


About the director: Krzysztof Kieslowski (b. 1941, d. 1996) grew up in a Communist Poland. He started out in filmmaking with documentaries, but later decided to move on to fiction for reasons of personal integrity and in light of the restrictions he faced then. This phase saw him win plaudits for his haunting visions of people’s lives. His greatest achievements are regarded as among the best in the world. DEKALOG (THE DECALOGUE) (1988) is a collection of ten films that should not be missed.


Have a good time.

With regards,
The Film Club.