PERSONA NON GRATA

Poland, 2005, 110 minutes, Colour.
Zbigniew Zapasiewicz, Nikita Mikhalkov, Jerzy Stuhr, Daniel Olbrychski.
Directed by Krzysztof Zanussi.

Persona Non Grata is one of many films written and directed by Krzysztof Zanussi, the head of Polish production in the late 90s and early into the 21st century.

Zanussi made many films during the communist period, winning many international awards (especially nine awards from the International Catholic Film and Media organisations). A member of the Pontifical Council for Culture and a friend of John Paul II, he made a film of John Paul II's play, God’s Brother, as well as the semi-biographical film of John Paul as a young man in From a Far Country.

This is a mature and reflective film. It focuses on an elderly diplomat, Polish, working in Uruguay. It is also about his grief at his wife’s death but his suspicions that she was having an affair with a Russian friend. The Russian friend is played by director and actor, Nikita Mikhalkov (Burnt by the Sun). Polish actor Jerzy Stuhr acts as the attaché at the embassy in Uruguay.

The film focuses very strongly on the personality of the diplomat (Zbigniew Zapasiewicz). In Poland for the death of his wife, he encounters his Russian friend. This brings up the past as well as discussions between the two about the relative spirituality of Catholicism and Russian Orthodoxy. Zanussi is interested always in exploring Catholic themes. The film also focuses on what life was like in the Soviet Union, the oppression, the changes with glasnost, the role of the KGB and diplomats in the freer period and the influence of their past behaviour.

The film is a strong character study, but also a film of words and reflection.

1. The work of Zanussi, his career, in Poland, his themes, his religious themes, the post-communist era?

2. The settings in Warsaw, Moscow, Montevideo and Uruguay? The contrast between the two worlds? The visuals of buildings, climate…?

3. The musical score, classic, the piano themes and Wiktor playing?

4. The title, the reference to the ambassador, or to Helene, to others?

5. The credits, the pictures of Helene? Her death, the coffin, her husband’s grief, the religious service? Oleg and his relationship with Wiktor, his arrival at the funeral, the short time, their talking? Wiktor’s suspicions, his suspicions haunting him? The importance of Oleg’s photo? Oleg and the build-up to the climax? Wiktor and the build-up to his crisis, Helene appearing to him, going into the light, scattering her ashes in the water, arrival home in his pyjamas, playing the piano, his collapse and death?

6. The role of the Polish government, embassies, the Polish ministers? Diplomacy, presence in countries, the business links and contracts? Accountability? Staff at the embassy, reports to the minister, spying? Self-protection? The links with Russia? The local people in the embassy? An insight into the workings of embassies? The pressures on the personnel?

7. Wiktor and his age, experience, his skill at his work, the long marriage to Helene, his grief, drinking, the staff thinking he was mad? The attaché and his hostile report? Wiktor seeing it by chance in the minister’s office? Wiktor and Oleg, the meeting, the funeral, the themes of the past? The ambassador’s surprise return, the ticking off of the attaché and the attaché’s hostile response? The issues of the new consul? The irony of the consul, the club, his performance, the sexuality, the passports for the Poles and the Ukrainian woman? Talking to the minister on the phone, the dog, telling the dog to get lost – and the minister’s sour reaction? The issues of business, the discussions about contracts, the moving of the embassy? The plane flight, the meeting with Oleg, the photo and its being torn? His suspicions, the other half of the photo, his death?

8. Oleg, Russian, the background, friendship with Wiktor, with Helene? The Russians and their spying, the traditions, the KGB? In the new age? The meetings, contracts, South America?

9. The attaché and his personality, the old school, taking umbrage at being ticked off, the letter of denunciation, his covering himself, his being insulted? His work, the business, documents and their disappearance?

10. The consul, his Russian wife, the club, sexuality, the girls?

11. The Ukrainian girl, the Poles, the issue of passports, their work, the clubs, the ambassador and his paying for the Ukrainian girl’s travel?

12. The Russian wife, spying, her covering herself?

13. The staff, the ordinary staff, breaking into the ambassador’s room? His personal assistant?

14. The portrait of the ambassador, age and his life, relationships, change, regrets?

15. The religious themes, Catholicism, the quotations, Scripture? The rituals? The role of Catholicism in the new Poland?