Cold War, by Pawel Pawlikowski: summary, analysis and historical context of the film
Cold War é um polonês film of drama and romance, directed by Pawel Pawlikowski and released in 2018. Filmed in black and white, a narrative passed during the 50's, not a period of ideological confrontation between the Soviet Union and the United States of America.
Illustrating political and social movements of the time, or film accompanying or destiny of Wiktor and Zula, a pianist and a singer who died during the conflict.
Attention: this article contains spoilers!
I summarize
Wiktor is a pianist who travels to Poland, collecting and recording traditional songs. He works for a music company, a Mazurek Ensemble, which faces auditions in search of singers and dancers who represent the talents of the country.
There, he meets Zula, a talented and extremely pretty young singer who awakens the attention of the pianist. During a test, I ended up wrapping myself and starting to fall in love with each other.
If the company should include Stalinist political propaganda in its programming, it begins to travel for public presentations. Em Berlim, or casal combines fugging and crossing Cortina de Ferro but Zula does not appear in Wiktor part sozinho.
Some time later, they will meet briefly in Paris and talk about the separation, confessing that they are falling in love with other people. Then, he tried to attend a show of Zula in former Iugoslavia, but was condemned by the police and forced to leave the country.
A young man, he married a stranger and left Polônia, meeting again with Wiktor in Paris. Finally we can be together and start a life a dois, investing in a career that will record a record. Either process wears out or relationship and she decides to return, suddenly, to the country of origin.
He does not see another hypothesis and returns also, knowing that he will be imprisoned and faced as a traitor. While Wiktor is in prison, Zula fears that she will earn a living as a singer, more fica depressive and begins to drink more. When he is liberated, he will return her and decide to leave everything behind.
Or casal leaves for the rural area of the country and, within a church in ruins, sets up a marriage ceremony. Next, Zula and Wiktor took a row of tablets. At the final dinner, we sat side by side, taking a path and waiting.
Film analysis
Cold War uma intimate love story, vaguely inspired by the country of Pawel Pawlikowski who told us to flee from Poland to England. Assim, or film is dedicated to the director's country.
Wiktor and Zula are two great personages of narrative, around the quais all ação decorre. With approximate plans, openings, as images are more focused on, our faces, than our places that surround you.
Via ellipses and silêncios, There are parts of the history that we did not attend, a long year of 15 years of encounters and misunderstandings. During this period, their lives crossed and also separated suddenly, they were great explanations for the viewer.
Contrary to here that, at the start, we expect a film about love, Cold War I saw few typically romantic moments. I entered poverty, in the absence of freedom and the middle, or your love was shown through the day. resilience, give insistence on continuing together at the end.
Reconstrução da Polônia, traditional music and folklore
In 1939, a Nazi German invaded Poland, starting the Second World War. With more than 6 thousand deaths, or a country that was devastated and will be tempted to re-energize a few years.
Or film Começa na Polônia do post-war, still in ruins, which takes the first steps to take its culture to the frontiers. In 1947, the country joined the Soviet Empire and was in the reconstruction phase.
Two years ago, in 1949, Wiktor is traveling in rural areas and studying Polish folk songs. As expressões two singers and musicians who have emerged transparent tiredness and comfort.
Some music, as a kind of prophecy, asks whether "love was raised by Deus or whispered by Diabo." Em volta, as I have covered everything, and evident to poverty and devastation.
When you return to the Mazurek Ensemble music company, you are going to start auditions and several young people are playing behind the scenes. O diretor fala que estão ali to sing the songs "dos pais e dos avós", "de dor e humilhação". Logo to the protagonist, Zula, stands out two others, her hair is agitated and marked beauty.
She reveals, however, that it is about an imposter, since she does not know two themes and also does not see "das montanhas", in contrast to what she affirms. She ends up singing Russian music that she learns in childhood but also pleases the juries, mainly Wiktor.
Uma das professoras, next to the pianist, tell the truth about Zula's past, that he would be imprisoned for killing or pai. Likewise, or if your interest in her pela aluna is increasing.
Romance prohibited and political co-optation of the arts
Despite the difference between the two implicit power dynamics, the relationship between Wiktor and Zula quickly progresses towards the link between teacher and student. Not the first testimony where she is sozinhos, the question about her father and her tells that she was abused and defended herself as a faca, but not chegou to kill him.
Or moment becomes evident that there is mutual fulfillment and interest and or romance and consummated little time depois. Enquanto o casal lives its paixão em segredo, we attend a meeting where the purpose that the company includes Stalinist political propaganda us his repertoires.
Logo followed, we see the choir singing not a box with a huge portrait of Josef Stalin as a backdrop. All dressed the same, like soldiers, the young people sing and march.
Deited na relva, the lovers converse, revealing vastly different attitudes. Embora Zula does not seem affected by the political cooptation that is happening, Wiktor is even more pensive and worried than or usual.
She declares her love- "I am going to be like you até o fim do mundo" -more she confesses that she has been questioned about the relationship she maintains as a teacher.
The director of the company suspends that he is an ideological traitor, asking garota of the dollar notes and is credited to Deus. Or a physical musician visibly scared, knowing that he is on the verge of suspense and that the commissioner of the socialist party was in danger.
Assim, Wiktor gets up and vai embora, so that no one harasses you together. Maybe for youth, Zula does not understand the situation and fica left. He shouts, or chama de "bourgeois" and plays no laugh, waves fica boiando and singing.
Escape, separation and disagreements
The company starts from trem for Berlim Este and director speaks, sublining that he will be "on the edge of the front that separates either communism or imperialism." Wiktor and Zula combine to cross Cortina de Ferro in segredo and flee to França.
Depois da apresentação em Berlim, Wiktor waits for Zula na fronteira but she never appears. Enquanto isso, the singer is at a party, talking and dancing with soldiers, despite the distraction in his face.
Na following dinner, or musician is sozinho, drinking as an expression of sadness, in a Parisian bar. Quase at the end of the day, Zula arises, who was born because she was singing in a show.
He revealed that he is having relationships with other people and chatting about or breaking up. Zula confesses that she was not prepared to escape and that she is not certain that this is how things will work.
Or home says goodbye and only turns back three years later, when Wiktor goes to Iugoslavia to attend a music company show. While the singer is not a box, both trocam olhares more or pianist and recognized and expelled.
Then he was forced to embark on a trem for Paris. Enquanto isso, or choir of women sings hair lost love and Zula olha or place vazio na plateia.
Exiles in Paris
Four years ago, in 1957, Zula surpassed Wiktor in the French capital. For the first time, we can casually stroll along the street and talk without concern. Zula tells that she married as an Italian to be able to leave the country, but she was not married, and for that reason she did not carry a serious ceremony.
A life in Paris contrasts with that of the house in Warsaw. In bars, with lively music, you dance together hugged, in a climate of happiness and peace.
Living together for the first time, investem na carreira de Zula. For isso, I started to frequent the artistic circles of the city. A young woman is uncomfortable when she realizes that her situation of "exile" attracted two people present.
She also sat brought in when she found out that Wiktor provided details about or past him, to promote her career. Despite two problems, nessa noite takes place at a dinner that symbolizes the liberation of the protagonist.
When he talks to the unknown, he goes dancing sozinha. Sorri, rodopia us arms of various people, on the balcony, as she peels the first time she can face or whatever she wants.
With typically North American music and dance, or moment symbolizes Zula's opening to the rest of the world, a kind of taste that dita or maturity of her.
Or episode also see call to attention for the differences that exist between the home. When he is more velho, reserved and sure that he wants, he is young, cheia de energia and wants to explore the possibilities.
During recordings of the album, Wiktor becomes increasingly demanding and critical. During the launch, we notice that the singer is not satisfied as a job. O casal argues and Zula reveals that she is having a case as another homem. O pianist beats na mulher e ela vai embora.
Return, prison and death
Wiktor discovers that Zula voltou for Polônia. Depressed, he stops getting to play the piano and decides to go to the embassy, asking to return to his country of origin. Lá, he is advised to give up the idea, since he is considered a traitor because he was abandoned to his homeland.
Likewise, in 1959, Zula will visit or lover in prison. I regret that I escort her promises that she will wait for him, but Wiktor may continue with her life.
Five years later, Zula is giving a big hit show, singing a totally different musical style. We can perceive that she lost her love and she barely sings hair. Backstage, is your husband and a filho still small.
A singer is out of the box and is going to vomit, noting that she drinks too much. Wiktor já I was liberated and I will visit it. Zula chora was not her ombro and pede to irem embora once.
Travel by bus and param no way from one road, of course. I entered an abandoned church, in ruins, and lit a candle, repeating vows of marriage. Next, I took a row of groceries and they were happy. Zula fala for Wiktor: "Agora eu sou sua. Forever ".
Sentam, então, em a bank na beira da estrada e ficam em silence, imóveis, of mine given. Finally, I got up and declared:
We go to the other side, in sight it will be melhor.
A camera focused on the bank and we do not see the protagonists again. Embora persists dúvida, because once again we do not attend a dinner chave da narrative, we can assume that it will morreram. Or suicide pact, like or Romeu and Juliet, transmits the idea that these lovers will barely manage to fica depois de mortos in peace.
In a society where religion was prohibited, a marriage ceremony that improvised a rebellious act that sela or bond that unites you. Visibly worn, they are shaped, they peacefully oil a hardness of life and decide to eternalize through death.
Meaning of the film
I tend as a background cloth or ideological conflict that you divide or the world you do, or film show you psychological effects that these events tiveram us individuals. Wiktor and Zula are the fruits of war, medo, persecution, exile and lack of freedom. Maybe because of isso, or his love seems to be doomed from the beginning.
On the other hand, despite two visible signs of trauma, we fear the feeling that this story could happen in another context. It is about a story of impossible love, destined for or failure, which could happen through two seasons.
Assim, or title of Cold War will be able to ter a second sense, trying to be a metaphor for or wear of a relationship. Finally, here is what separates Zula and Wiktor also hesitação, infidelidade, depressão, or ciume e ambição, among other factors.
Over the years of the film I am looking less and less young, more tired and discouraged with life. Ainda assim, as Juliette states, to former Wiktor lover who translated a song for Zula:
O tempo does not matter when you love.
There is no happy ending for each other but a message that persists that or love is uma coisa maiorCapable of overcoming all obstacles, I tied my own death.
Data sheet
| Original title | Zimna wojna |
| Address | Pawel Pawlikowski |
| Roteiro | Paweł Pawlikowski, Janusz Głowacki, Piotr Borkowski |
| Duration | 88 minutes |
| Country of origin | Poland |
| Launching | 2018 |
| Awards | Prêmio do Cinema Europeu de Melhor Filme, Prêmio do Cinema Europeu de Melhor Director, Prêmio Goya de Melhor Filme Europeu, Gaudí Prize for Melhor Filme Europeu, New York Film Critics Circle Awards de Melhor Filme Estrangeiro |
Conheça also
- Film Infiltrado na Klan, by Spike Lee
- Filme Vice, by Adam McKay
- Berlim wall
- Church of Santa Maria del Fiore
- Modern Tempos: the famous film by Charles Chaplin
- Nouvelle vague
