Film: Trois Couleurs: Bleu
Director: Krzysztof Kieślowski
Country: Poland
Released: September 1993
Runtime: 94 minutes
Genre: Drama
Studio: MK2 Productions
Influenced: Terrence Malick, Claire Denis, Tom Tykwer, Darren Aronofsky, Alejandro González Iñárritu
Part of a trilogy of films inspired by the three colours of the French flag, representing liberty (blue), equality (white) and fraternity (red), Three Colours: Blue is the first in a series of films by pioneering Polish director Krzysztof Kieślowski, Each film in the trilogy explores its respective theme through interconnected stories and characters, with Bleu delving into the concept of liberty and focusing on the emotional journey of its protagonist, Julie de Courcy (Juliette Binoche), as she tries to free herself from the emotional bonds of her past. One of the standout features of the film is its innovative and expressive cinematography, including a memorable early shot when we can see the doctor reflected in the eye of a bed-bound Julie, as he relates to her the death of her husband and her daughter in a car accident.
The film was widely acclaimed for its groundbreaking use of colour symbolism and visual storytelling, with Kieślowski and his cinematographer, Sławomir Idziak, employing a distinctive visual style, using the colour blue as a dominant motif throughout the film. The blue lighting, clothing and objects (like her daughter's mobile) in various scenes symbolise Julie's emotional state. Blue is also the colour of fresh bruises, which are the body's reaction to trauma and its attempt to heal itself. After the death of her daughter and famous composer husband, Julie initially decides to isolate herself from her past life and the world, seeking freedom from her grief and memories. Julie embarks on a journey of self-discovery and liberation, cutting ties with her old life and abandoning her husband's unfinished composition. She goes against the grain in terms of estate planning and in other ways too, for example not signing the petition to remove her neighbour, and sex worker, Lucille from her building block.
The film's score, composed by Zbigniew Preisner, plays a pivotal role in amplifying many of the emotions and themes. Julie's husband's unfinished composition, which haunts her throughout the film, serves as a metaphor for her own incomplete emotional journey. As Julie tries to find her own path and identity, she encounters various individuals who challenge her desire for solitude and anonymity. Through her interactions with these characters, she begins to confront her emotions and the complexities of human connection. Kieślowski often uses close-ups in the film to show how attentive Julie is to the small details of life, characteristic of the film's minimalistic and contemplative style. Kieślowski's direction and Binoche's nuanced acting convey a lot of emotion without ever relying heavily on dialogue. Many of the scenes, such as Binoche drinking coffee & ice cream in a Parisian café, or swimming in the city's art deco Piscine Pontoise, are completely mesmerising.
Bleu climaxes with a full version of the unfinished concerto by Julie's husband, entitled Song for the Unification of Europe, which features text taken from Saint Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, a paean to love. Given the disunity in Europe at the time of the film's release, Kieślowski's intentions here are partly ironic, but also sincere. By the end of the movie, Julie has discovered – while watching a TV news report in a brothel – that her husband had an affair and that his old flame is pregnant with his child, but she nevertheless finds the strength to help complete his magnum opus rather than destroy it. Such was the film's emotional power and technical mastery that it won numerous awards, including the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, the European Film Award for Best Director (Kieślowski) and a César Award for Best Actress (Binoche). Apparently, Binoche turned down a role in Jurassic Park so that she could finally work with Kieślowski. Her decision was clearly vindicated.
Comments