Our take
Krzysztof Kieślowski’s trilogy reflects both the colors and the values of the French republic: liberté, égalité, fraternité. In Trois couleurs : Blanc (Three Colors: White), Kieślowski explores not only the theme of equality, but also the ramifications of defining and “achieving” equality as a European ideal.
After failing to consummate their marriage, Dominique (the ever-bewitching Julie Delpy) divorces Karol (Zbigniew Zamachowski), leaving him broke and humiliated. Karol plots to exact revenge on his ex-wife, becoming richer and cruller in the process.
Although this is often regarded as the weakest of the trilogy, White is worth a watch not just for completionists. Kieślowski interrogates what it means to be equal in sex and socioeconomic class—and if when we strive to move upward in society, whether we are really debasing our basic humanity and humility.
What it won
Berlin
1 win
European Film Awards
1 nom
The story
Polish immigrant Karol Karol finds himself out of a marriage, a job and a country when his French wife, Dominique, divorces him after six months due to his impotence. Forced to leave France after losing the business they jointly owned, Karol enlists fellow Polish expatriate Mikołaj to smuggle him back to their homeland.
Elsewhere
"The entertaining second seg of Krzysztof Kieslowski's Three Colors trilogy is involving, bittersweet and droll."
— Lisa Nesselson
The details
Irma Vep
Olivier Assayas
The Death of Stalin
Armando Iannucci
500 Days of Summer
Charles de Lauzirika & Marc Webb
The Double Life of Véronique
Krzysztof Kieślowski
Election
Alexander Payne
Four Lions
Chris Morris & Christopher Morris
Wristcutters - A Love Story
Goran Dukić
Paddleton
Alex Lehmann & Alexandre Lehmann
Who picked it
Taylor Leigh Harper is a writer from Southern California who covers film and writes across fiction, creative nonfiction, and free verse. She is a contributing writer and curator at A Good Movie to Watch, with work also appearing in Westwind, The Bridge, and Haunted Waters Press.
