Krzysztof Kieslowski (1941-1996)

Born in Warsaw.

Planned to be a theatre director; studied art.

Graduated from Łódź Film School.

Made numerous documentaries.

Made his first feature film, Personnel (1975), for television.

Associated with the Cinema of Moral Concern.

Krzysztof Kieslowski

His most important films:

Kamera Buff (1979)

No End (Bez końca, 1984)

Three Colours (Blue, White, Red; 1983-84).

The Decalogue (1988)

La double vie de Véronique (1990)

The Decalogue (1988)

Made for television.

Based on Ten Commandments according to Deuteronomy 5 (in Roman Catholic order).

Moral philosophy, no politics.

Framing device: the common setting.

A mysterious figure appears in nine of the ten films; symbolism runs throughout the series.

The Decalogue V

The corresponding commandment:

“Thou shalt not kill.”

Made into a full-length feature A Short Film About Killing.

Provides food for moral judgment, not the judgment itself.

The Decalogue V

1. How does the film address the commandment?

2. What is the youth’s name? How old is he?

3. What is the lawyer’s name?

4. How are the main characters portrayed (appearance, behavior, actions, storyline)?

5. What symbolic details did you notice?

6. What kind of shots are mainly used?

7. What is the film’s colour scheme?

Film Study Terms

Dutch angle. The horizontal axis appears tilted.

Mise-en-scène. The combination of setting, lighting, props, figure behavior, costume, etc.

Camera movement. Camera’s motions: tilting, panning, tracking, etc.

Pan. Movement of the camera from left to right and from right to left around the vertical axis.