The second film in Kieslowski’s “Three Colours Trilogy,” the entertaining White is a black comedy based on the tricolour tenet of egalité. Polish actor Zbigniew Zamachowski gives a wonderfully Chaplinesque performance as Karol, a bumbling hairdresser left penniless on the streets of Paris after he is divorced by his beautiful French wife (Julie Delpy).
Kieslowski’s unpredictable rags-to-riches tale has Karol returning, in rather ignominious fashion, to his native Poland, where an unexpected aptitude for the prevailing cutthroat capitalism leads to a fantastic scheme to get his ex-wife’s attention.
A droll black comedy that takes a scalpel to the impoverished ethics of the new money-obsessed Poland, and to the selfish impulses tied up with our desires for a balanced sexual relationship. It’s often cruel, of course, and cool as an ice-pick, but it’s still endowed with enough unsentimental humanity to end with a touching, lyrical admission of the power of love. Essential viewing.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
A rich, light-handed marvel.
Caryn James, New York Times
Media Partner
Krzysztof Kieślowski
Julie Delpy, Zbigniew Zamachowski
Poland/France
1994
In Polish and French with English subtitles
Silver Bear, Berlin Film Festival
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Credits
Producer
Martin Karmitz
Screenwriter
Krzysztof Piesiewicz, Krzysztof Kieslowski
Cinematography
Edward Klosiński
Editor
Urszula Lesiak
Original Music
Zbigniew Preisner
90s, Baby!
Ten years. 11 weeks. 90 films from the 1990s. This summer, 90’s Baby! takes a deep dive into a defining decade of cinema.