The feature debut for the great Krzysztof Kieslowski at age 35. He had made a ton of documentaries prior and this is certainly made with that background in mind- realism
It is a study of a man, played by Franciszek Pieczka, the building of a factory in a community- the “development of a village”– about local politics and a damning tale of bureaucracy. Sort of like Grapes of Wrath but from the other point of view. We even have a bulldoze a house scene
Opens of a shot through trees in a forest- a nice frame, static- medium long—Kieslowski would go back to again for the opening credits—this is the forest that is destroyed to make room for the factory. In the text we get “those trees are 200 years old, that’s the price of civilization” (cutting them down)
Kieslowski didn’t invent the singularly-minded but believable color design (Blue, White, Red) I mean others, including Antonioni with Red Desert did it long before, Cries and Whispers is before The Scar here – but Kieslowski may be the auteur best known for it and you can see him sketching here in his debut. Green is his color here and it isn’t just the forest. Phones are green, the mint green painted doors in the office, the green flowers thrown in the frame, the green factory workers outfits, green glasses at the celebration (this one is obvious that this is a focus of Kieslowski- intentional), green ties on the men
There is a meditative interlude at 38 minutes that looks a little closer to Kieslowski’s trademark style he’d end up developing years later— but by and large this is more overtly political and way more verbal than Kieslowski’s best works
Some strange jump cuts- going from day to night, and cutting down the trees in the forest- a few small editing flubs—years pass in the story with no declaration- not sure if that is intentional or not from Kieslowski
Again this is a docudrama- the town hall meeting could be a real meeting- sure looks like it
Great shot of the bureaucrats looking out the window scared of factory workers
The film starts with the idea for this factory and ends with the only real camera movement in the film, pulling back to show the director, now retired, playing with his grandchild over the final credits
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