The life, films, and artistic understanding of Krzysztof Kieslowski, one of the best directors of world cinema.
Even years after his death, he was deemed worthy of many awards; Ranked 2nd in the list of the 10 best directors of modern times published by the British Film Institute in 2002; referred to as one of the most powerful storytellers of his time; Krzysztof Kieslowski is a director who has brought unforgettable works to world cinema such as The Decalogue (1989), The Double Life of Veronique (1991) and his latest productions, the Three Colors trilogy (Blue (1993), White (1994), Red (1994)).
Krzysztof Kieślowski (27 June 1941 – 13 March 1996) was a Polish film director and screenwriter. He is known internationally for Dekalog (1989), The Double Life of Veronique (1991), and the Three Colours trilogy (1993 –1994). Kieślowski received numerous awards during his career, including the Cannes Film Festival Jury Prize (1988), FIPRESCI Prize (1988, 1991), and Prize of the Ecumenical Jury (1991); the Venice Film Festival FIPRESCI Prize (1989), Golden Lion (1993), and OCIC Award (1993); and the Berlin International Film Festival Silver Bear (1994). In 1995, he received Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.
Krzysztof Kieslowski is a Polish director and screenwriter. He was born in 1941 in German-occupied Warsaw, in what he described as a "suffering" society.
World War II left behind people who lost tens of thousands of people after the occupation of Nazi Germany, paid a great price, and needed to heal their wounds. The country was trying to stand on its own feet again, but the communist administration of the period was in conflict with the Church, which was highly respected by the people, the economy deteriorated with the rulers who abused their power and the wrong policies they implemented, and the stability in the country could not be achieved. With the support of the church, riots, and nationwide strikes were taking place.
A Childhood "Witness to Reality"
Kieslowski's father suffered from tuberculosis, and they traveled from town to town in search of treatment. Kieslowski; in this way, he was raised by observing his people, their lives, and their troubles. The director described the society he grew up in with these words: "We do not look for imaginary ones because we have real problems. Poland is a country full of people whose lives are difficult and suffering." one of the most important factors: "I am attached to reality because everything that exists is wiser and richer than I am."
Beginning Years and Firsts
Kieslowski; He graduated from the Łódź National Film School in 1969, the backbone of the birth of post-World War II Polish cinema, where he was accepted only on his third application.
The director, who first started his career with documentary films, traveled to various regions of Poland and discussed people from different groups. He was awarded the Grand Prix at the Mannheim Film Festival for his first non-documentary television film, "The Personnel", which he made in 1975. He shot his first feature film in 1976.
Kieslowski's View of Cinema
“Everyone wants to change the world,” said Kieslowski. But he himself never believed that the world could really be changed. In his own words: “The world could only be described”.
Moral Anxiety Cinema
Moral Anxiety Cinema; A movement that Kieslowski was also a part of, which showed its influence in Polish cinema between 1976-1981. Kieslowski's film "Personnel" has the distinction of being the first film of this movement.
Films belonging to this movement; were psychology-oriented productions that aimed to convey the daily lives and troubles of the Polish people as they were, away from politics. These films portrayed people whose personal desires and wishes clashed with their social and political environment. Politics was just a background, "part of who the character is".
Kieslowski's Interpretation of Life
“Who are you and what do you want?”
The famous director asked 2 questions to the people he met: "Who are you?" and “What do you want?”. His own answer to this question was that he did not know who he was, did not love himself, and thought that what he wanted was just a little peace, but that he would never achieve this dream.
Freedom, Equality, and Fraternity
Kieslowski; believed that concepts such as religion, politics, history, and nationalism separated people. He said that the main thing that binds people is “emotions”: “We all fear the same, the same thing, and we all love it the same way.” He was addicted to the idea that different people could think the same thing in different parts of the world at the same time. He chose to focus on the emotions and thoughts that “connect” people in his films.
His Death and Legacy to the Cinema
After the release of Three Colors: Red in 1994, Kieslowski announced that he would stop making films. When asked why he quit, he replied: "I don't know what else I can do, I've done all these movies and I'm left with the feeling that I'm making the same movie over and over. Now it's time for others to show what they can do."
Kieslowski said he stopped making films, but just before his death, it was known that he started a new trilogy: Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory. After his death, the scripts of these three films were given to 3 different directors. Heaven met with the audience in 2002 and Hell in 2005; Purgatory has not yet been made.
Krzysztof Kieslowski died in 1996 at the age of 54, after undergoing heart surgery as a result of a heart attack. A sculpture of a pair of hands representing a director who was shooting a film was carved at Kieslowski's tomb in Warsaw.