CAMOUFLAGE (BARWY OCHRONNE)

Poland, 1979, 196 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Krzysztof Zanussi.

An ironic comedy of manners - with more sombre tones. Made by celebrated Polish director Krzysztof Zanussi, while it observes manners in Polish society, it is clearly meant as a kind of allegory/parable of the Polish social and political situation. A group meets for a weekend seminar on language and grammar. Papers are presented, a prize is to be awarded. The young man of integrity who organises the competition makes a proper decision. The supervisor wants a safe decision - allowing for the prejudices of the rector. There is a lot of observation about the life-style of younger people, organisation and administration, boards and the integrity of decisions.

The film ends with a physical battle between the younger man and the older - an open-ended ending but an ironic comment on what has gone before. Zanussi's films have often a Bunuel-like presentation of society, for example The Contract, 1980. At other times he makes very intense personal dramas, for example The Balance, 1974, The Spiral, 1978. Zanussi himself appears and there are screenings of Camouflage in the 1979 ironic comedy Camera Buff, by Kieslowski whose Three Colours trilogy of the 1990s, Zanussi produced.

1. The qualities of Polish cinema - technical skill, a national industry? Representing Polish manners and styles? A critical reflection on Polish society and politics? (And reflection on the upheavals of the late seventies and early eighties?)?

2. The title and its ambiguity? Personal camouflage and the cover-up of individuals relating to others? Society and camouflage and not revealing truth? Government, administration and camouflage? The credits with the presentation of birds and animals - who are able to survive by camouflage? Camouflage and its use in warfare, self-preservation? The overtones of deceit?

3. The presentation of the convention - an analogy of society and politics? The range of individuals? Power, power struggles? Mutual influence? How well did the film work as a picture of the seminar? As an allegory? What conclusions would audiences draw about Poland?

4. The initial attention to detail - the arrival of the students, enrolment, questions of accommodation, sleeping quarters, washing, nude swimming in the river, recreations? The various groupings?

5. The focus on the competition - the papers presented, the quality of the research, jealousies, the decisions of the jury, the meetings, pressures? Decisions about the awards?

6. The Magister as hero? His having to cope with the administration, with personal relationships with the students and the staff? His romantic link with the visiting girl from England? his personal integrity? His relationship with the Docens, the insinuation of problems to come, accommodation, negotiation of students representing certain schools? His place on the jury and becoming the secretary? The Pro-Rector? and his points of view, intrigue? The interview with the Pro-Rector? and telling the truth? His having to handle the uproar? The possibilities of his future in research, administration? The Docens waking him up in the night, taking him to see the girl making love, their fight and the Magister fearing that the Docens was dead, the camouflaged deception? The finale with the physical fight representing what? A well drawn character, symbol?

7. The contrast with the Docens - smooth, his overseeing role, his camera and his photographing nature (and the trick played on him later by the students?), his standards, his relationship with the Pro-Rector? and the influence of the prize giving? His story about his relationship to the Pro-Rector? and writing his thesis - true or false? his influence on the Magister, smooth, the ability to cover up? His relationship with the serving girl? Why did he wake the Magister in the night, taking him to see the girl? Pretending to be dead? The fight? As a character, symbol?

8. The Pro-Rector? - his burly appearance, self-confidence, similarity to Soviet political leaders? His young wife, child? A prejudiced man, bullying? his talk with the magister? At the Awards? His external manner and his harsh pressurising?

9. The mad student - the school he represented, his protest, the award to keep him quiet, his reaction, hospitalisation?

10. The English girl and her work at the seminar, relationship with Magister, casual relationships, pleasant?

11. The range of students, their protest, the way that they were overruled?

12. The jury and their operations the various personnel represented, for example the fat lady?

13. The background thing of language, research? Related to reality or not? Related to social issues or not? The importance of chromatical research in itself? As a symbol for representing Poland in the seventies?