Even now, at 84, acclaimed Polish filmmaker Krzysztof Zanussi frequently gets inquiries about a nostalgic 'unrequited first love' from his early years. When pressed on the matter by this reporter, the auteur openly confessed his feelings. "I still love physics, though physics did not fall in love with me," he said. "I was mediocre and I discovered it after studying the subject for four years [at the University of Warsaw]. But the whole field of 'exact science' is the basis of my life's outlook and orientation." His distinctive filmography over five decades-inspired by his own life, its dilemmas and anxieties-has influenced multiple generations.
Recently, Zanussi-who played an active role in the Solidarity Movement leading to the downfall of the communist dictatorship in Poland in the 1980s-was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK). This is ironic, since the state is run by a communist government. Nevertheless, Zanussi is adept at navigating the ironies of life through filmmaking, employing wisdom tinged with dry wit.
But he is not hesitant to criticise when warranted. Twenty-five years ago, during an open forum session at IFFK, Zanussi engaged in a verbal altercation with the late CPI(M) ideologue P. Govindapillai. At that time, the filmmaker boldly declared, "I come from a country that was the victim of communism", in response to P.G. ridiculing Poland for rejecting Marxism. That spat had attracted international media attention then.
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