COLD WAR
Poland, 2018, 88 minutes, Black and white.
Joanna Kulig, Tomasz Kot, Borys Szyc, Cedric Kahn, Jeanne Balibar.
Directed by Pawel Pawlikowski.
Quite a powerful film, winner of many nominations and awards. It was co-written as well as directed by Pawel Pawlikoski who won an Oscar for his film, Ida, about a young nun discovering her Jewish antecedents and her experience as a child during World War II. This time the war is the Cold War.
The action of the film takes place from 1949-1964. At the opening, it is clear that a very drab-looking Poland (although the film is shot in striking black-and-white) is under Soviet domination. The Cold War between Eastern Europe and Western Europe (and the Iron Curtain) is a 1950s fact of life for the world.
However, the title of the film could be interpreted also as a Cold War within Poland itself, between the artistic rebels who wish to leave the country, who escape from the country and the bureaucratic officials.
Further, the title could describe the love/struggles between the two central characters, Wiktor and.Zula.
The tone is set right from the opening with a range of young men and women singing excerpts from traditional songs, Polish folklore, listened to by two officials who are auditioning for what becomes a touring company of singers and dancers. Wiktor is the principal man who auditions, a pianist, creative. His partner does her job rather objectively – but we see her later exiting from a performance, disillusioned by the forced patriotism.
One of the candidates for audition is a young girl, Zula (actress Julia Kulig persuasively growing from a young woman to a middle-aged woman), Zula. Wiktor is immediately entranced by her, hires her, and begins a relationship with her – while she becomes part of the company, learning how to sing, to dance, work in the ensemble, touring with it for many years.
One of the challenges for the audience is that particular episodes suddenly stop and the screen goes black. When the next scene appears, time has passed without the film-maker visually filling in some of the detail of events in character (but some brief verbal information). The audience has to do some work, understanding the plot details, estimating the effect that they have on the characters.
One of these changes finds Wiktor in Paris, mention of his escape from Poland. He has settled in Paris, a pianist with a group, in 1955 visiting Yugoslavia where the Polish ensemble is performing, meeting Zula once again – she has had knocked the strength or courage to escape with him – and renewing their passion, but the authorities at the concert put him on a train back to Paris.
Then it is a period of Rock around the Clock, even in Paris! Wiktor has been in some relationships, especially with a poet who has written lyrics for a song for Zula herself who has now arrived in Paris – this time an explanation given verbally that she has married an Italian from Sicily and legally left Poland. Wiktor is also writing and performing music for film scores.
Will Wiktor and Zula finally be able to live together, each of them still passionately loving despite other partnerships.
Again, a sudden time-jump, the action moves to 1964, literally cold experiences of the Cold War and, yet again, Zula encountering Wiktor with some unanticipated consequences. And a question can be asked during the final credits, does the Cold War end in defeat or not?
1. The title, the 20th-century Cold War, memories? Eastern and Western Europe? Poland?
2. The period, 1949 to 1964? The impact of the black-and-white photography? Memories of the Polish film industry in these years? A drab Poland, socialist political, harsh buildings? The contrast with music, performance? Paris and music in clubs? The visit to Yugoslavia and the contrast in scenery? Vitality? France and the changes in the mid-1950s? The culmination of the film in Poland, prison, clubs?
3. The range of music throughout the film, folk music, traditional, French style, Gershwin songs, Rock around the Clock, ballads?
4. The episodic nature of the film, scenes ending suddenly, the black screen and audiences having time to pause, the need to fill in details of the plot and characters?
5. The title, the Cold War in Europe after World War II? The Iron Curtain? The dominance of the Soviet Union?
6. The Cold War within Poland itself, citizens, authorities? And the Cold War within the characters of Wiktor and Zula? Ending in death and defeat?
7. The introduction to Wiktor, his associate and the auditions, the searching for songs, the initial range of songs and singers, traditional, centuries-old, folklore? The status in 1949? The holding of the auditions, the girls waiting, conversations and hopes? The introduction to Zula, her conversation with the other girl, singing in harmony with her, the audition, her attracting Wiktor? The other judge and her less interest, Aware of Wiktor’s Fascination? Zulu been chosen, learning to dance, sing, perform?
8. Wiktor, his music, pianist, his work, performances, supervising the auditions? The nationalist flavour of the auditions and songs? His associate being disgusted, walking out of the performance?
9. Zula, her age, the background story, her father being abusive, the attack on her father, time in prison? The seizing opportunities? Singing, dancing, working in the ensemble? The attraction to Wiktor, his attraction to her, the relationship?
10. The suddenness of Wiktor being in Paris, the back story of his work, escape, Zula unwilling to go with him? Life in Paris, the early 50s, L’ Eclipse, playing the piano, the other musicians?
11. The visit to Yugoslavia, Wiktor travelling, Zula and her performance, Kaczmarek and his role with the troupe, supervision, political supervision? Meeting with Wiktor, the offer of the box, the seat in the theatre? The encounter with Zula? The guards in the theatre, his being arrested, put on the train to Paris?
12. The changes in Paris, Cabaret, the clubs? Music style? Rock around the Clock? Zula, coming to Paris, singing and dancing?
13. Wiktor’s life, scoring the music for the horror film? The work with Michel and friendship? The relationship with Juliette, her writing poetry? The lyrics for the song? Zulu not liking them? The metaphor of time and the pendulum? The party, her going to talk to Juliette, her own experience and the arranged marriage with the Italian to leave Poland?
14. Zula, Wiktor, her talking about a relationship with Michel, her disappearance, Wiktor confronting Michel?
15. Wiktor, at the club, the intense piano solo, the other players looking on? Going to the embassy, his hopes, not being a citizen of Poland or France? His needs and patriotism? The request for him to spy?
16. The passing of the years, prison, its effect, Zula coming to the prison? Meeting Kaczmarek, his son, Zula and her Latin American performance? Kissing Wiktor?
17. Going to the ruined chapel, kneeling before the altar, the pills, the declaration of marriage, taking the pills, the sign of the cross, sitting on the bench – and crossing over, into a life after death?
18. The cold ending to their personal Cold War?
