Kieslowski's Acclaimed Film Screened at Press Club

A Short Film About Killing' - internationally acclaimed Polish filmmaker Krzysztof Kieslowski's movie against capital punishment was recently screened at the Guwahati Press Club for the benefit of its member-journalists. The extraordinary film, released in 1988, carries a strong message against the capital punishment practiced by different countries, including India. It has cinematography by Slawomir Idziak and music by Kieslowski regular Zbigniew Preisner.

It may be noted that no European director of recent years was admired as Kieslowski. Of course, he had to wait many years for recognition outside Poland. The hour-long movie was originally made for Polish television. Based on an emotional story, the film was instrumental in the abolition of death penalties in Poland long back. Even though the film is set within the moribund atmosphere of the declining communist Poland, the film goes beyond this historical context.

The sensitivity projected in discerning the details of everyday life, and the acute analysis of the relations between individual and society, caused Kieslowski's work to be noticed at the most important international festivals.

'A Short Film About Killing' won the Jury Prize and the FIPRESCI Award at the Cannes Film Festival, and also won the European Film Award for best film.

It is the second film after the Oscar-winning documentary 'Glass' to be screened at the press club as part of a wider initiative to screen award-winning and critically acclaimed films and documentaries every week, which will, in turn, help members-journalists add value to their professional experience.