"The Double Life of Veronique is a film about the sensitivity, hunches and relationships that are difficult to name, who are irrational."
"I play with pure emotions, because it is a movie
on emotions and nothing else. No action on it. "
Krzysztof Kieslowski, extracted from his autobiography
" Kieslowski on Kieslowski, Faber & Faber
.
C on The Double Life of Veronique (La Double Vie de Véronique, 1991) , Krzysztof Kieslowski seemed to take a further step in the constant pursuit of an intangible reality, through the depths, in this case, pure emotion and mysticism.
And all this has a logical explanation, logic, as far as possible in terms of privacy and pure emotions. Krzysztof Kieslowski
developed, like many great filmmakers, talent in the field of documentary, where he made numerous works portraying working-class citizens in some specific social groups. His first cinematic obsession began trying to portray an objective reality around him, sometimes with a tone of social protest or political -Always subtle censorship of the communist regime, and sometimes simply as a sign of another look, the glass lens of the camera was able to capture while being part of the same reality; always through the glass-reason vital importance in The Double Life of Veronica -; crystals, in this case the target, but in many cases later in the rest of his films, of all kinds.
look through the mirrors and windows, seemed to be a vital sign for the films of Kieslowski, from its origins in the documentary. Kieslowski was a man who was to limit their concerns, daring to portray in the media Film increasingly complex concepts, and again provided through what he considered the other reality, the other side, or the many possibilities opened by the cinematic space.
Through the Looking Glass ... Kieslowski shows again and again the need to observe reality from other perspectives, including the supernatural.
His first passion, therefore, was making the documentary with objective reality.
However, that passion, or obsession, it became subjective, in his words, trying to document extremely intimate moments of life of people he portrayed, almost, so "voyeur" something that Kieslowski seemed unable to remedy in their search for the closest of his surroundings, in search of an almost tangible reality.
Moreover, the disenchantment with the film came to understand that his intentions were simply mirror, as with its own external mechanisms of film editing, documentaries, Kieslowski himself getting into a simple reflection of intentions, its own look, the reality of his surroundings.
was mostly from the criticism in his short From the point of view of a night guard (Z punktu widzenia nocnego Porter, 1977), in which he was accused of translating his own subjectivity in the character of the main goalkeeper. And above all, from the legal problems with his documentary Station (Dworzec 1980), in which Polish police said the recording of a woman persecuted for justice, and acquiring the work of Kieslowski as proof of identification .
In the same period a year earlier, Kieslowski had captured in the last scene of his film Amateur (Amator, 1979), his disappointment with the documentary, in Amateur compulsively the star wheel with 8mm camera all around him, for after a series of unexpected consequences, turn the camera to film the final sequence itself.
Kieslowski left the film, and continued in fiction, with the same assumptions and obsessions, but this time without unexpected interruptions. In fiction, everything was under control, even their own privacy and of course the mirror reflection of his eyes to reality as a good documentary.
Chance, causality, fate, the lives cross and disagreements, multiple possibilities and narrative parallels. Several of the basic ingredients of the films of Kieslowski, together with the choice, the sense of justice and responsibility of their characters in the scenarios in which they live. After his break with the documentary, Kieslowski seemed to open every door possible narratives in fiction, in the collective search for objectivity, something that seemed to haunt him, and yet, kept his own introversion reflect a contradictory manner.
Only with the Decalogue (Dekalog, 1988), the colossal work of 10 films made for Polish television in 1988 on the Ten Commandments, Kieslowski began feeling comfortable politically free expression in moral discourse, however, a tone increasingly plastic forms, forms that began to express those "pure emotions" and in the case of Decalogue unpleasant emotions contained more pessimistic about society than vice versa. However, in practice, the last stage of Polish filmmaker in France already formally brewing in the Decalogue, Kieslowski and talent to evoke feelings from the music and image of his films, whether pleasant or the contrary, no left no one indifferent.
From Decalogue success and international recognition of the two films in the series extended, No Love (film or Miloscia Krótki 1988) and Thou Shalt Not Kill (film or zabijaniu Krótki 1988) , Kieslowski had many options to produce abroad, while increasing disappointment Polish production systems, while also growing a move away permanently from the political scene and start a new phase.
A beautiful Irène Jacob gives life to Weronika and Veronique, two young soul mates, linked by bonds mystical premonitions.
It came The Double Life of Veronica , a film complex, difficult to summarize in writing, and that was the beginning of a second career in France for the Polish director. And the second opportunity to document a reality, the virtual time, and therefore much closer to the filmmaker, which reflect their experience as a filmmaker and great sensitivity, through pure emotions.
Kieslowski, who did not master any foreign language, let alone the French, had no trouble adapting to a production system and a country that felt as comfortable as if he had been born there. Perhaps the warm welcome in France had its impact on the development of the script of The Double Life of Veronica , thinking about the myth of doppelganger or the existence of the double. According to that legend, seeing double can be fatal for one of the two identities. There are also several versions that claim that acts of one of the redeeming acts of another, perhaps, through premonitions, or the famous "Déjà Vu".
With all this, Kieslowski plastic used all his arsenal and his obsessions and ideas in his previous films actors, solving the political, to form an authentic piece of jewelry, from beautiful and delicate treatment bill. Kieslowski, who until Decalogue had his picture taken special care or details more sensitive, it seems to reinvent itself in this new phase in French to investigate particular details, in seeking the depths. Somehow, no longer the same obsession vouyerística in its origins, but in reverse. Kieslowski is surrounded
to achieve this intimate setting of his most loyal collaborators: his usual co-writer Krzysztof Piesiewicz, whose ideas were based mainly first-and the great composer Zbigniew Preisner. Preisner was another key to the success of Kieslowski's film, since he began his collaboration in the mid 80's. A composer in the history of European cinema, as anyone who understood the sensitivity Polish author. The composite parts for The Double Life of Veronica are simply spectacular, key players eigenvalue of the film, and true engine of the multiple connections.
Veronica (Irène Jacob) and Alexandre Fabbri (Philippe Volter)
The germinal idea of \u200b\u200b The Double Life of Veronica is briefly described in the ninth inning of Decalogue, which appears a typical secondary characters of Kieslowski a priori no connection with the plot. In this case, a girl with heart problems should undergo a complicated operation to continue singing. Kieslowski, seemed to use for that side of his previous films to start new stories, which at the time, would be part of this complex universe where all the characters flow from one to another movie. This is one of the most notable features of the way to understand their own films, as a whole where each film tells the story of the other side, and vice versa, something that we will see significantly in the development of the Three Colours trilogy , in which the idea of \u200b\u200bmultiple connections, a kind of theory of causation and predestination, is much more evident.
However, The Double Life of Veronica , this theory of causation, and somehow on the responsibility, is constantly reflected in the actions of both protagonists, or, perhaps, the only player, as you look, "Weronika and Véronique, interpreted a beautiful Irène Jacob, one of the keys to international success The Double Life of Veronica . But, above all, by including the figure of Alexandre Fabbri (Philippe Volter), with their puppets, their strings and stories, and the only linear subplot throughout the film, so the idea of \u200b\u200bchance lost prominence for the idea of \u200b\u200bcausality, predestination. Alexandre represents for Weronika and Véronique, an emotional meeting point that even they know name, just feel. In this subplot, which would balance the film to a much more commercial, Véronique Alexandre Fabbri know from a puppet show at school where she teaches. Again, really know what a mirror, despite having agreed shortly before. After this first "real" contact Véronique receives several items sent by Alexander to start a new contact, without knowing exactly why. It is from the reception of these objects when the film becomes unusually sensitive and complex, despite the simple background subplot.
Weronika The Passion of the scenes in a summit of "The Double Life of Veronica, with masterful use of the camera and the soundtrack to Kieslowski. Music composed by Zbigniew Preisner from an excerpt from "The Divine Comedy" by Dante.
The Double Life of Veronica can be a very controversial film, as you look. And that, I think, was the initial idea Kieslowski to go into the theme of the film. Accepting the theory "string", or predestination, we accept the idea of \u200b\u200ba divine or supernatural motor. This is part of the continuing religious powers the film, which Kieslowski always tried to deflect, since she understood the film simply on emotional reactions hard to understand rationally. However, encouraged the audience to go with their beliefs, their own emotions arising with religious or simply mystical. As Kieslowski himself said, his religious beliefs were very intimate and seems to The Double Life of Veronica be the testing ground in this regard, and if I had, of course would have more to do with the feelings aroused by faith, rather than the act itself.
However, there are other many details in the film considerable emotional terrain inside draws attention to the sensitive, almost to the sensory ecstasy, as a spiritual connection. It is for both girls' sexuality, which reflected Kieslowski as one to express more of the climax of the film. So much so, with the death of the young Polish Weronika, when the young French woman, Veronique feel its loss making love. In one of the most bizarre and surreal drawings of the film, Weronika has a first heart failure after attending his entrance exam to the choir on a street in Krakow, the girl runs to take refuge on a bench and casually a exhibitionist (another the characters that cross apparent nonsense) shows off her in a strange plane overturned. Weronika's reaction is just one of the many reactions of both girls impossible to describe, and yet we know that there is a connection.
Veronica against puppet likeness manufactured by Alexandre
Another possibility is that the whole story is one of the tales of the mysterious Alexandre Fabbri, who towards the end of the movie tells Véronique the beginning of a new story based on the lives of both girls:
"On November 23, 1966 was the biggest day of their lives. That day at three o'clock the two were born in two different cities on two different continents. They both had dark hair and green eyes. When both had two years and already knew walking a hand was burned in a furnace. A few days later the other was about to touch the oven, but pulled his hand away just in time but could not know that was about to burn ... "
As Alexandre Fabbri explained himself in his story, The Double Life of Veronica, tells the story of two identical girls born in different countries, both orphaned mother, with the same passion for music and with the same heart failure. These would be the narrative details the similarities between the two girls. However, the absolute protagonists of the film would be other similarities are much more complex, arising from the presentations and pure emotions.
However, one of the clear connections of the film is causation decisions in Weronika Véronique, whose actions are ahead in time, assuming a cause-effect protective Véronique. Since the death of Weronika, with subsequent Véronique decision to leave his passion for singing to the supernatural in some scenes where Véronique is explicitly guided towards certain objects. A curious fact in several scenes, Irène Jacob, and as Weronika Véronique, facing the camera directly, almost metaphysical relationship with the viewer, perhaps, emotional link and identification of foreboding. Or, perhaps, is a simple look Kieslowski himself as omnipresent creator of both girls. This may be a more viable option than it appears, after explaining Kieslowski's obsession to separate the different realities through specular objects, as the objective itself.
In fact, the entire film is tinted with a gold filter, which, as Kieslowski himself, enhanced the beauty of all scenarios. It's a beautiful filter that immerses us in a unique film. An overwhelming aesthetic experience, even for those who come to visit her hoping for more dramatic and narrative connections.
One of the most beautiful scenes of "The Double Life of Veronica", shows the exceptional use of color and music of the French stage of Krzysztof Kieslowski.
The Double Life of Veronica is a purely cinematic experience, an overwhelming display of technical effects and narrative tricks, able to arouse many emotions pure para adentrarse en el laberinto de posibilidades a través de todos los espejos posibles del espíritu de dos almas gemelas.
Una película sobre emociones puras, sobre la sensibilidad y los presentimientos, solo puede considerarse una película universal.
En Mayo de 2011 se cumplen 20 años del estreno de La Doble Vida de Verónica en el Festival de Cannes de 1991, en el que recibió el premio del Jurado, el FIPRESCI y el premio a la mejor actriz para Irène Jacob.
Nadie mejor que el propio Kieslowski para describir finalmente el sentido de su película, de nuevo desde su autobiografía:
“Pienso que si vas al cine, quieres ver emotions. But I'm not saying that everyone must like The Double Life of Veronique. On the contrary, I think it's a film for a very limited group of people. By this I mean social groups or age groups, but groups of people sensitive to the emotions shown in the film. And those people can be found among intellectuals, workers, unemployed, students or retirees. Do not think that this movie is for the elite, unless, that we consider sensitive people the elite. "
The elite will always be pure emotions Krzysztof Kieslowski. Javier Ballesteros
0 comments:
Post a Comment