Camera Buff (1979)

Filip buys an eight-millimetre movie camera when his first child is born. Because it's the first camera in town, he's named official photographer by the local Party boss. His horizons widen... See full summary »

Director:

Krzysztof Kieslowski

Writers:

Krzysztof Kieslowski (scenario), Krzysztof Kieslowski (dialogue)

Stars:

Jerzy Stuhr, Malgorzata Zabkowska, Ewa Pokas

6 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jerzy Stuhr	...	Filip Mosz
Malgorzata Zabkowska	...	Irka Mosz
Ewa Pokas	...	Anna Wlodarczyk
Stefan Czyzewski	...	Director
Jerzy Nowak	...	Stanislaw Osuch
Tadeusz Bradecki	...	Witek Jachowicz
Marek Litewka	...	Piotrek Krawczyk
Boguslaw Sobczuk	...	Kedzierski
Krzysztof Zanussi	...	Himself
Andrzej Jurga	...	Himself
Alicja Bienicewicz	...	Jaska
Tadeusz Rzepka	...	Wawrzyniec
Aleksandra Kisielewska	...	Hania, secretary
Wlodzimierz Maciudzinski	...	Stelmaszczyk
Roman Stankiewicz	...	Czeslaw

Storyline

Filip buys an eight-millimetre movie camera when his first child is born. Because it's the first camera in town, he's named official photographer by the local Party boss. His horizons widen when he is sent to regional film festivals with his first works but his focus on movie-making also leads to domestic strife and philosophical dilemmas.

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Plot Keywords:

home movie camera | communist poland | 1970s | cine camera | birth of a child | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Poland

Language:

Polish

Release Date:

14 February 1980 (Netherlands)

Also Known As:

Camera Buff

Filming Locations:

Katowice Central Railway Station - Szewczyka Square 2, Katowice, Slaskie, Poland

Company Credits

Production Co:

Film Polski, Zespol Filmowy "Tor"

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Witek Jachowicz: What are you filming?
Filip Mosz: Anything that moves.

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Connections

References Love (1971)

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Soundtracks

Walc e-moll
by Frédéric Chopin
Performed by Krystian Zimmermann

User Reviews

Cinema is the first art. - Lenin

An innocent enough decision. Filip (Jerzy Stuhr) buys a camera to film his new daughter. It costs two months salary and it makes him a celebrity of sorts as he is the only one in town that has one.

Now, his boss wants him to film the 25th anniversary celebration of the company. He really gets into filming and soon runs headlong into "rules." Of course, you have rules in a communist country. His wife is not too excited about his new hobby, but he soon gets his film entered into a film festival.

Soon, like all who truly love film, Filip is attending screenings, talking to directors, and reading film magazines to improve his craft. But, more and more his wife is displeased, and his boss is cooling to the idea as he moves from filming the company to social statements.

His desire for tranquility gives way to a desire for fame and art at the cost of his wife and family.

He also discovers the unintended consequences of reporting the truth. In the end he turns the camera on himself as he realizes he had everything in the beginning and lost it all.

A fascinating look at real cinema and finding what you want.