Za Sciana
1971 / 56m - Poland
Drama
1.5*/5.0*
Behind the Wall poster

Watches

July 03, 2022

1.5*/5.0*

One of Zanussi's earliest films, made for TV. It's a very (very) basic affair, so it's a good thing it's pretty short. Even then, it feels the film is stretched well beyond its breaking point. The black and white cinematography doesn't really work either, adding pretenses the film can't make good on.

Jan is a young, ambitious assistant professor, who only cares about his work. Anna is a writer who has taken an interest in Jan, but he doesn't really have eyes for her. Anna isn't willing to give up that easily, and she forces a situation where they can spend more time together.

The setup could've been endearing, but the bland characters and grim cinematography don't really do much for the film. The endless dialogues aren't very exciting either. It's all just very plain and lifeless. It might be interesting for those who appreciate Eastern-European dramas and/or Zanussi completists.