Supplement

Colour, 35mm
Poland, 2002, 101 min
Section: East of the West

Synopsis

Medical student Filip and cloakroom attendant Hanka previously appeared in the film Life as a Fatal Disease alongside the dying doctor Tomas. Fragments of this film are also used in this work which focuses on the troubles undermining the relationship between Hanka and Filip. Zanussi again treats his favourite theme of the antinomy of emotion versus reason, and faith versus science, illustrating this with Filip’s dilemma: “This is the story of a young man who endeavours to bring his faith into harmony with his existence, and to combine idealism with the reality of modern life. An exacting process of self-awareness, perceived as his true calling. He vacillates between monastic orders and public service. His indecision complicates the life of his girlfriend and his surroundings. This is my story. But it’s mainly about idealism. Young people desire life values which go beyond egotistical interests defined by comfort, a holiday in the sun, a bank account and a luxury home. Whatever we aspire to, mere material success is not able to provide complete satisfaction”.

About the director

Krzysztof Zanussi (b. 1939, Warsaw) studied physics and philosophy. After graduating in direction at the Film, Television and Drama Academy in Lodź (1966), he wrote and directed over thirty feature films for both cinema and television. He debuted with the film The Structure of Crystal (Struktura krysztalu, 1966). With the films Family Life (Zycie rodinne, 1971), Quarterly Balance (Bilans kwartalny, 1974), The Constant Factor (Constans, 1980), The Contract (Kontrakt, 1980) and Imperative (Imperativ, 1982) he added his name to the list of Polish directors who made "film of moral unrest", reflecting the social situation in Poland between the 1960s and 1980s. Apart from psychological dramas which earned him international recognition, he makes documentaries, holds important positions in Polish and European film organisations and also teaches. Other films include: The Year of the Quiet Sun (Rok spokojnego slonca, 1984), Wherever You Are (Gdzieskolwiek jest, jeslis jest…, 1988), The Silent Touch (Dotkniecie reki, 1992) and Life as a Fatal Sexually Transmitted Disease (Zycie jako smiertelna choroba przenoszona droga plciowa, 2000); screened at last year’s Karlovy Vary IFF.