Part two in Polish director Krzysztof Kieslowski's THREE COLORS astounding trilogy, WHITE represents Equality (of Liberty and Fraternity) in the French flag and the French national motto. Karol (Zbigniew Zamachowski), a sweet but awkward Polish hairdresser, has just lost everything in a bitter divorce settlement--his cold-hearted French wife, Dominique (Julie Delpy), having taken their home, credit cards, and business. The poor Karol finds himself stranded in Paris, speaking very little French; once he returns to his native Poland, his luck changes for the better. He manages to make a small fortune and a name for himself. Although he's moved up in the world, he still thinks about his former life with Dominique, and it is his memories, good and bad, that lead him to stage his disappearance, and which initiate an unusual chain of events. WHITE is a more lighthearted and leisurely affair than BLUE or RED, adding a well-rounded dimension to the trilogy. Kieslowski and Krzysztof Piesiwicz's script thrusts the characters into odd predicaments, and then ingeniously backs off to tell the tale of Karol's revenge, succeeding in laying enough emotional groundwork to justify Dominique's sincere change of heart.
The second episode of Polish cinematic wonder Kieslowski's THREE COLORS trilogy, WHITE stands for Equality (of Liberty and Fraternity) in the French national motto, and is the middle color of the French flag. A Polish hairdresser in Paris is sued for divorce by his wife (Julie Delpy). He loses everything and returns to Warsaw where he regains his self-respect and his fortune, and then sets about gaining revenge over his ex-wife. WHITE is a lighter, more comic tale than either BLUE, its predecessor in the trilogy, or RED, the final chapter of the series.
WHITE was released theatrically in June 1994.
Shot on location in Paris, France, and Warsaw, Poland.
WHITE was shown in competition in the 1994 Berlin Film Festival, where it earned Kieslowski the Best Director Award.
Funding for the project was provided by the European Counsel, among others.
DVD Features:
Region 1
Keep Case
Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.85
Audio:
Dolby Digital Surround Sound - French
Additional Footage - 1. A Discussion on Kieslowski's Later Years
2. A Discussion on Working with Kieslowski
3. Krzysztof Kieslowski's Cinema Lesson
Production Interview - 1. Julie Delpy
2. Marin Karmitz
Audio Commentary - 1. Annette Insdorf
2. Julie Delpy (Selected Scenes)
Featurette - 1. A LOOK AT BLANC
Bonus Short - 1.Kieslowski Student Film: Trolley
2. Kieslowski Student Film: The Face
3. Kieslowski Student Film: The Office
Interactive Features:
Scene Access
Interactive Menus
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Review 1:
"...A rich, light-handed marvel....Kieslowski is always uncompromising....Filled with exquisite scenes..."
Source: New York Times
p.C23 06/10/1994
Review 2:
"...Earthy and elemental..." -- Rating: B
Source: Entertainment Weekly
p.35 07/22/1994
Review 3:
"...Involving, bittersweet and droll....An ingenious rags-to-riches tale of revenge filtered through abiding love..."
Source: Variety
01/31/1994
Review 4:
"...A darkly whimsical tale on the dangerous distortions of the notion of equality....There's lots of plot in WHITE, but it is the work of a master of the visual..."
Source: Los Angeles Times
p.F15 06/17/1994
Review 5:
"...Kieslowski directs WHITE in a deadpan, matter-of-fact style that treats his strange subject matter as if it were merely factual....WHITE is the anti-comedy, in between the anti-tragedy and the anti-romance..."
Source: Chicago Sun-Times
p.39 06/17/1994