A Short Film About Killing was released in the same year that the death penalty was suspended in Poland. Use the HTML below. The Ministry selected Dekalog: Six and funded both productions.[9]. Falkowska, J. Two of them were extended by Kieslowski into features - A Short Film About Killing and … He seems to take pleasure in causing other people's misfortunes: he throws a stranger into the urinals of a public toilet after being approached sexually; he drops a large stone from a bridge onto a passing vehicle causing an accident; and he scares away pigeons to spite an old lady who was feeding them. It disgusts me," and then finally conceded, "I’ll shoot it only on the condition that you let me do it green and use all my filters, with which I’ll darken the image." A Short Film About Killing (Polish: Krótki film o zabijaniu) is a 1988 drama film directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski and starring Mirosław Baka, Krzysztof Globisz, and Jan Tesarz. [5], Cine-literacy author Charles V. Eidsvik suggests there is a "presence of senseless malice in the film", a notion reiterated in the forms of death and mutiny.[6]. Jacek then completes his gruesome task by repeatedly smashing the barely conscious taxicab driver over the head with a large rock. Kieslowski was not pleased, but he accepted the ultimatum, telling Idziak, "if you want to make green shit, it’s your affair." Was this review helpful to you? We used green filters that give this strange effect, allowing us to mask all that isn’t essential to the image". A Short Film About Killing may be short in its temporal duration, but it is incredibly long in its emotional effect. "[12] The film is among 21 digitally restored classic Polish films chosen for Martin Scorsese Presents: Masterpieces of Polish Cinema. The warden repeatedly asks if they are finished talking; Piotr defiantly says he will never be finished. He ... See full summary », The plot couldn't be simpler or its attack on capital punishment (and the act of killing in general) more direct - a senseless, violent, almost botched murder is followed by a cold, calculated, flawlessly performed execution (both killings shown in the most graphic detail imaginable), while the murderer's idealistic young defence lawyer ends up as an unwilling accessory to the judicial murder of his client. 1970. A Short Film About Killing Movie Rating NR, 1 hr 24 min Movie More Info. Directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski • 1988 • Poland Add the first question. Drama, Crime. In spite of Piotr's efforts, Jacek is found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging. . [11], Sight & Sound magazine conducts a poll of film directors every ten years to find out what they consider the ten greatest films of all time. Spanish Showbiz Adapts to New Market Conditions in a Virtual World, The Best 1980s International Feature Film, Michael Brooke . He is given last rites by a priest, and offered a final cigarette by the warden. Like the gloomy events portrayed in the film, the capital city of Warsaw is depicted as a repellent, depressing place: grey, brutal and peopled by alienated characters. After his wife divorces him, a Polish immigrant plots to get even with her. He asks to be driven to a remote part of the city near the countryside and insists the driver take a longer and more remote route. Showing all 5 items Jump to: Summaries (4) Synopsis (1) Summaries. They conclude things would've turned out differently if the girl had not tragically died. Filip buys an eight-millimetre movie camera when his first child is born. Piotr has little chance of winning the case against Jacek because of the strong evidence against his client. A woman struggles to find a way to live her life after the death of her husband and child. It is a brilliant illustration of the failings and contradictory nature of capital punishment, which replicate the actions of a murderer instead of upholding justice.It was clearly the intention of Kieslowski to underline this in his film. I wouldn't be surprised if many who start this film as pro capital punishment, end up strongly against it by the time the credits roll. The world within the film seems dead of all life. European Film Awards winner (1x) Award-winner at Cannes Film Festival. 82. He wants to start a new life in a place where he is not known and dreams only of a job, a wife and a family. It is some of the best 84 minutes of cinema in the 1980’s—pure and perfect. After the early years of Communist repression, executions were quite rare and invariably for murder; from 1969 a total of 183 men were hanged and no women. The world seems like a memory, a dream or a nightmare. [7] When Kieslowski first showed Idziak the screenplay, he commented, saying, "I can’t even read this! Jacek is then taken from his cell and marched to the execution chamber by several prison guards. It merely suggests a possibility, but even at that it doesn't quite connect the way that it could have. Although the main plot in both works is the same, Dekalog: Five has a different order in editing and makes more use of voice-over, whereas the film starts differently and gives a more prominent role to Piotr, the lawyer. Out of all the artsy fartsy directors I've watched, Krzysztof Kieslowski is the most direct and straightforward. Dehumanizing filters were used to distort the images of Warsaw, creating a raw, unattractive image. A Short Film About Killing. Just before he is hanged, he breaks free from his guards and begins to yell uncontrollably before his hands are shackled and he is quickly hanged with ruthless efficiency. In the moments before his execution, Jacek reveals to Piotr that his younger sister was killed by a tractor driven by his drunken friend, and that he was drinking with him; he says he never fully recovered from the tragic episode. The rope and stick appear to be a weapon. Watch A Short Film About Killing 1988 full Movie free, download a short film about killing 1988. A Short Film About Killing Movie. Set in Warsaw, Poland, the film compares the senseless, violent murder of an individual to the cold, calculated execution by the state. The film is influenced by novel “The Outsider” by Albert Camus. He takes his wife to a café where they discuss their future. K rzysztof Kieślowski’s A Short Film About Killing began as the centerpiece of the landmark Dekalog miniseries (still one of the few non-Bergman made-for-TV works that figure prominently in Sight & Sound top tens), and this fleshed-out theatrical extension stands as one of the central works of Kieślowski’s career. Although the film's diegesis does not directly address political events, it is unanimously interpreted as a political statement. The cinematic release of Dekalog: Five: A Short film about killing, premiered in Polish cinemas in March 1988. [13], According to the funding deal that Kieślowski had with TV Poland to make Dekalog, two of the episodes would be expanded into films. . Meanwhile, Waldemar has been driving his taxicab around the city looking for a fare. He drives the car to a grocery store where he talks to a girl who jumps into the car. A Short Film About Killing Piotr Balicki (Krzysztof Globisz) is a young and idealistic lawyer who has just passed the bar exam. The subtle green filter used on the camera, gives the celluloid a dreary appearance, pertaining to the bleak mood of the film. . . Brutal and disgusting, A Short Film About Killing is frequently virtually unwatchable. This surely proves the power of the film. 34 (2), pp.37-50. Title: Jacek then requests that he be given the final space in his family's grave which was reserved for his mother—that he be buried next to his sister and his father. `A Short Film About Killing' attempts to color in this depiction and in the end fails to give us an answer. In 1988 the country carried out just a single execution, with 6 condemned prisoners being hanged in 1987. Kieślowski credits his cinematographer, Slawomir Idziak, for this deliberate visual unattractiveness within the film, stating: "I sense that the world is becoming more and more ugly. Synopsis. Several areas of the city were used:[9], The Polish premiere coincided with a heated debate in Poland about capital punishment. Poland, 1988. Michael Brooke . Jacek (Miroslaw Baka) climbs into the taxi driven by Waldemar (Jan Tesarz), tells him to drive to a remote location, then brutally strangles him, seemingly without motive. A Short Film About Killing – 1988 Kieslowski A severe 84 minutes shot through a hazy green/yellow filter with heavy shadows. The driver is still breathing and tries unsuccessfully to remove the rope from his neck. This can make the affect of the scenes in the film somewhat sickening at times, however it was clearly intended by Kieslowski, who wanted to show how disgusting murder is. It is a story about a world where evil is commonplace. A young man in his twenties leaves prison after a three-year sentence. 1 has (3 versus 62–and that’s counting a death that doesn’t even take place in Killing). (winter, 1995). Sometime later, Jacek is caught and imprisoned. A Short Film About Killing won both the Jury Prize and the FIPRESCI Pri… A Short Film About Killing is truly a film like no other. The film was shot on location in Warsaw and Siedlce. (1988). Ten television drama films, each one based on one of the Ten Commandments. The documentary feel of the film is intensified by the way it is filmed, with no tracking or dolly shots, just an observing camera placing us, the undiscerning viewer right in the thick of it. Two parallel stories about two identical women; one living in Poland, the other in France. And we were both on a skiing vacation, and he says to me, "I know your trick. Directed by. The film depicts the capital punishment of execution by hanging in state of Poland. In 2012, Cyrus Frisch voted for A Short Film About Killing. 8.1; 91%; Krzysztof Kieslowski. This is the focal point of Jacek's trauma, which is brought up during his conversation with the young lawyer. Written by Krzysztof Kieślowski and Krzysztof Piesiewicz, the film was expanded from Dekalog: Five of the Polish television series Dekalog. This minimalistic photography allows us to focus on the detailed reactions and actions of the characters in the film, which come to a horrifying climax during both murder sequences, probably two of the most superbly executed murder sequences ever committed to film.Kieslowski doesn't try to explain Jacek's murder because he clearly wants to avoid condoning it with motives that might make the audience feel sorry for him. It follows an itinerant young boy, a rude old taxi driver, and a newly appointed lawyer fresh from his exams. 3. This FAQ is empty. The first murder in the back of the taxi is with out a doubt horrific, but the execution is just as unforgivable, illustrating that although legal, capital punishment is devoid of humanity and veracity, in all the same ways as cold blooded murder itself. A soon-to-be lawyer crosses his path with a taxi driver and a young sinister man. Piotr is at the prison to attend the execution, and an official congratulates him on having just become a father. Waldemar Rekowski (Jan Tesarz) is a middle-aged taxicab driver in Warsaw who enjoys his profession and the freedom it affords. Online reviewers have written 126 reviews, giving A Short Film About Killing … Jacek holds on to his sister's memory and the love for his mother by asking Piotr to retrieve the blow-up of his sister's picture from the photographer, as he gives Piotr the receipt, and give the picture to his mother, so she has something to hold on to after having two of her children killed. A young lawyer defends his first complicated case: representing a criminal who was sentenced to death for killing a taxi driver. Let our editors help you find what's trending and what's worth your time. His case is assigned to Piotr, an idealistic young lawyer who is morally opposed to the death penalty, and their interactions take on an emotional honesty that throws into stark relief for Piotr the injustice of killing of any kind. 1 (1989): 63. The confirmation of his sentence is read to him as well as the decision to deny clemency. "[8] Idziak also used a hand held camera when filming; this gave an added raw feel to the film as it follows the daily routines of the film's protagonist. Need some help finding the best things to watch on Netflix? After discussions and dishonest negotiations, a decision is taken as to where a large new chemical factory is to be built and Bednarz, an honest Party man, is put in charge of the ... See full summary ». It's a small movie, and I liked the script, [so I said] "I'll make this one." A visual anthology of twelve short stories by twelve innovative directors from all over the world. Krzysztof Kieślowski. View production, box office, & company info. A Short Film About Killing (1988) Plot. Dekalog: Five suddenly jumps from the killing scene to jail and there is no connection or explanation on how Jacek got arrested. . His concern for turning a profit leads him to ignore some potential fares in favor of others. He stops near the café just as Jacek approaches and enters the cab. When he requests to have one without filter instead, the executioner steps forward, lights one of his cigarettes and puts it into Jacek's mouth. The wife of the recently deceased lawyer tries to cope with grief after his loss and to keep his last case going in court. On the appointed day, the executioner arrives at the jail and prepares for the hanging. Frisch commented: "In Poland, this film was instrumental in the abolition of the death penalty. Its integrity is thus significant to the fate of the protagonist. A soon-to-be lawyer crosses his path with a taxi driver and a young sinister man. The plot follows Jacek (Miroslaw Baka), a disillusioned young man who murders a random taxi driver and is put on trial by the state. "Full cast and crew for A Short Film About Killing", "Filming locations for A Short Film About Killing", Martin Scorsese Presents: Masterpieces of Polish Cinema, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A_Short_Film_About_Killing&oldid=1017997694, Films with screenplays by Krzysztof Piesiewicz, Films with screenplays by Krzysztof Kieślowski, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Jan Tesarz as Waldemar Rekowski (Taxi driver), Władysław Byrdy as a helper of Executioner, 1988 Cannes Film Festival Jury Prize (Krzysztof Kieślowski), 1988 Cannes Film Festival Nomination for the Palme d'Or (Krzysztof Kieślowski), 1990 Bodil Award for Best European Film (Krzysztof Kieślowski), 1990 French Syndicate of Cinema Critics Award for Best Foreign Film (Krzysztof Kieślowski), 1990 Robert Festival Award for Best Foreign Film (Krzysztof Kieślowski), This page was last edited on 15 April 2021, at 19:10. Go to the content Go to the footer. Dorota Dstrowska A Short Film About Killing Debates on Death Penalty in Socialist Poland 305 Kr6tki fiLm 0 zabijalliu/A Short Film About Killing (1987) was scripted by Krzysztof Piesiewicz and directed by Krzysztof Kieslowski'. Doctors Jo Wilson, April Kepner, and Andrew DeLuca share the episodes they think are essential to understanding their characters. Jacek Łazar (Mirosław Baka) is a 21-year-old drifter who recently arrived in Warsaw from the countryside and is now aimlessly wandering the streets of the city. Worldwide ... A Short Film About Killing. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. 90 of 95 people found this review helpful. A shocking, powerful film expanded from episode V of Kieslowski's legendary Decalogue, A Short Film About Killing considers societal violence in its many forms through the story of an idealistic young lawyer and the brutal murderer he is called to defend. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? He is interviewed by his criminal defense lawyer, Piotr, for whom this is his first case after finishing his legal studies. His horizons widen... See full summary ». The portrayal of the execution method and procedure is mostly accurate, though, in reality, the date of executions were a surprise to the prisoner; the condemned man would simply be led into a room to discover it was the execution chamber. At their destination, Jacek tries to kill Waldemar with the rope, but stops and hides when people approach. I chose A Short Film about Killing, which can be summarised in just one sentence: a twenty-year-old man murders a taxi driver, and is convicted and hanged. This is greatly enhanced by the strong use of colour filters. One of the most crucial moments that relates to the encounter with the young girls is Jacek's sister's death. Krzysztof Kieslowski’s ‘A Short Film About Killing’ is a disconcerting drama about societal violence and its hypocrisy to distinguish one form of killing of a being from another. Brutal and disgusting, A Short Film About Killing is frequently virtually unwatchable. He believed, like many others, that capital punishment has no place in the 20th century. Drama 1988. Paul Coates, "Anatomy of a Murder: A Short Film about Killing," Sight and Sound 58, no. His films have the feel of an Italian Neorealist film, but with an Avant-Garde approach to lighting and cinematography. Kieslowski, clearly inspired by the human-issues documentary movement in the 70's, has presented the film as a bleak and depressing reality. Filmed on location, the run down post-cold war communist Warsaw in Poland provides a cold and melancholic back drop to the film. You know that now I am doing number five, the Short Film About Killing, and you have time. He goes to a photographer to have her first communion picture blown up despite its wear and tear damage. As a powerful warning. A Short Film About Killing was released in 1988 and has generally received very positive reviews. Here’s an illuminating statistic: A Short Film About Killing (1988) has one-twentieth the number of the deaths that Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill Vol. Trailer. Working in collaboration with the musical scoring of Zbigniew … 84 min. Kieslowski himself wrote in the autobiography: “I think that this movie is not … A model discovers a retired judge is keen on invading people's privacy. The film looks dirty, and so too does the world it portrays. If this sounds too presumptuous, then consider the fact that A Short Film About Killing led to the suspension of capital Punishment in Poland. An innocent virgin spies on his frontal neighbor and falls in love with her, thus starts using tricks on her which he hopes will lead to them meeting. Jacek makes some petty last requests to his lawyer. A Short Film About Killing is one of Kieslowski’s great works, a one-hour episode that was part of Dekalog but extended to become a feature film, winning critical applause at Cannes by bagging the Jury Prize. I wanted to dirty this world. . When a children's song comes on the radio, he gets upset, rips out the radio, and discards it. The print appears to have an effect similar to sepia tone or bleach bypass—although it is a colour picture, the photography combined with grey locations provides an effect similar to monochrome. He puts away the rope and stick when he spots two girls playing at the other side of the window and he engages in a game with them. Przedsiebiorstwo Realizacji Filmów "Zespoly Filmowe", Wytwórnia Filmów Dokumentalnych (Warszawa). Piotr approaches a judge afterwards asking if he could've done more to save his client's life. "The Political in the Films of Andrzej Wajda and Krzysztof Kieslowski. Jacek, an angry drifter, murders a taxi driver brutally and without motive. Kieslowski himself selected Dekalog: Five, leaving the second for the Polish ministry of culture. Afterwards, Piotr drives to an empty field where he sobs. Witek runs after a train. [5], Falkowska also talks about the law as a personified entity—capable of being both just and unjust, responsible for saving and ruining lives. Close. Cinema journal . Set in Warsaw, Poland, the film compares the senseless, violent murder of an individual to the cold, calculated execution by the state. An overweight and crude man, Waldemar also enjoys staring at young women. Falkowska, J. A Short Film About Killing is based on the Fifth Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Kill, and is a psychological vivisection of the brutal and senseless murder of a taxi driver by a young drifter, with no explanation offered, and no extenuating circumstances given. 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