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A Short Film About Love

Original title: Krótki film o milosci
  • 19881988
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 27m
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
23K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
11,382
682
A Short Film About Love (1988)
DramaRomance
A naive inexperienced young man spies on a woman who lives across the courtyard, and falls in love with her. Hr starts using tricks which he hopes will lead to them meeting.A naive inexperienced young man spies on a woman who lives across the courtyard, and falls in love with her. Hr starts using tricks which he hopes will lead to them meeting.A naive inexperienced young man spies on a woman who lives across the courtyard, and falls in love with her. Hr starts using tricks which he hopes will lead to them meeting.
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
23K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
11,382
682
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Krzysztof Kieslowski
    • Writers
      • Krzysztof Kieslowski
      • Krzysztof Piesiewicz
    • Stars
      • Grazyna Szapolowska
      • Olaf Lubaszenko
      • Stefania Iwinska
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Krzysztof Kieslowski
    • Writers
      • Krzysztof Kieslowski
      • Krzysztof Piesiewicz
    • Stars
      • Grazyna Szapolowska
      • Olaf Lubaszenko
      • Stefania Iwinska
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 54User reviews
    • 39Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
    • Awards
      • 14 wins & 1 nomination

    Photos32

    A Short Film About Love (1988)
    A Short Film About Love (1988)
    A Short Film About Love (1988)
    A Short Film About Love (1988)
    A Short Film About Love (1988)
    A Short Film About Love (1988)
    Olaf Lubaszenko and Grazyna Szapolowska in A Short Film About Love (1988)
    Olaf Lubaszenko and Grazyna Szapolowska in A Short Film About Love (1988)
    Grazyna Szapolowska in A Short Film About Love (1988)
    Stefania Iwinska and Olaf Lubaszenko in A Short Film About Love (1988)
    Olaf Lubaszenko and Grazyna Szapolowska in A Short Film About Love (1988)
    Grazyna Szapolowska in A Short Film About Love (1988)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Grazyna Szapolowska
    Grazyna Szapolowska
    • Magda
    Olaf Lubaszenko
    Olaf Lubaszenko
    • Tomek
    Stefania Iwinska
    Stefania Iwinska
    • Godmother
    Piotr Machalica
    Piotr Machalica
    • Roman
    Artur Barcis
    Artur Barcis
    • Young Man
    Hanna Chojnacka
    Hanna Chojnacka
    • Miroslawa
    • (as M. Chojnacka)
    Stanislaw Gawlik
    Stanislaw Gawlik
    • Postman
    • (as S. Gawlik)
    Tomasz Gradowski
      Rafal Imbro
      • Bearded Man
      • (as R. Imbro)
      Jan Piechocinski
      Jan Piechocinski
      • Blond Man
      • (as J. Piechocinski)
      Krzysztof Koperski
      • Gasman in Magda's Apartment
      • (as K. Koperski)
      Jaroslawa Michalewska
      • Post-Office Clerk
      • (as J. Michalewska)
      Malgorzata Rozniatowska
      Malgorzata Rozniatowska
      • Angry Postmaster
      • (as M. Rozniatowska)
      Emilia Ziólkowska
      • Old Woman at Post-Office
      • (as E. Ziólkowska)
      Anna Gornostaj
      Anna Gornostaj
      • Nurse
      • (uncredited)
      • Director
        • Krzysztof Kieslowski
      • Writers
        • Krzysztof Kieslowski
        • Krzysztof Piesiewicz
      • All cast & crew
      • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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      Storyline

      Edit

      Did you know

      Edit
      • Trivia
        The ending is different from the TV version. It was rewritten at the suggestion of lead actress Grazyna Szapolowska who wanted the film to have a "fairytale ending".
      • Goofs
        When Tomek goes out onto the roof above Magda's flat, his black eye and split lip are gone. They reappear when he goes back into the building.
      • Quotes

        Magda: Why are you peeping at me?

        Tomek: Because I love you. I really do.

        Magda: And what do you want?

        Tomek: I don't know.

        Magda: Do you want to kiss me?

        Tomek: No.

        Magda: Perhaps you want to make love to me?

        Tomek: No.

        Magda: Want to go away with me? To the lakes, or to Budapest?

        Tomek: No.

        Magda: So what do you want?

        Tomek: Nothing.

        Magda: Nothing?

        Tomek: Yes.

      • Connections
        Edited into Dekalog: Dekalog, szesc (1989)

      User reviews54

      Review
      Top review
      10/10
      Human Love at Its Utmost, the Best Film in Dekalog
      I invite viewers of this film to compare it with the short version (Dekalog 6) and the script. All three differ from one another. They have different endings and lead to different interpretations.

      In this film, the feature length version, Kieslowski portrays human love poetically, authentically, and powerfully. I consider Tomek as a lover by the form of incarnation. He takes into different forms (post worker, milkman, voyeur) in order to show his love towards Magda. It is important to notice that Tomek sheds his blood when Magda has sex with others. There is a scene in which Magda spills a bottle of milk and cries. Tomek sees her from his telescope. Only he is present for Magda. Overall, Tomek's love is both sacrificial and redemptive.

      After Tomek's hospitalization, Magda dresses more conservatively. She does not engage in sexual affairs with any man. In this sense, Tomek's love redeems the lustful Magda. The commandment (Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery) functions in the background. We normally perceive a voyeur as being adulterous. But in Tomek's situation, he peeps into Magda not as an adulterous voyeur. He loves Magda by peeping her as an incarnate. He expresses sacrificial, and redemptive love in a humane and authentic manner.
      helpful•52
      12
      • JiaQiLi
      • May 24, 2006

      Details

      Edit
      • Release date
        • August 4, 1995 (United States)
      • Country of origin
        • Poland
      • Languages
        • Polish
        • Portuguese
      • Also known as
        • Ein kurzer Film über die Liebe
      • Filming locations
        • Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland
      • Production company
        • Zespol Filmowy "Tor"
      • See more company credits at IMDbPro

      Technical specs

      Edit
      • Runtime
        1 hour 27 minutes
      • Color
        • Color
      • Sound mix
        • Mono
      • Aspect ratio
        • 1.66 : 1

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