The FINANCIAL — A handsome man with a smiling face enters the hotel hall, greets me with a bow of the head and we take our seats in armchairs. He is Krzystof Zanussi, one of the most famous film directors of the world cinema elite. He doesn’t create entertainment movies, he makes films on the basis of sharing his thoughts with others and helping them as well as himself better understand the universe.
Krzysztof Zanussi is an adviser on the Cultural Council of the Pope in the Vatican, Rome. He is also a doctor of many European universities and the holder of a number of prestigious titles and prizes.
He arrived from Mexico yesterday where he attended the opening of one of his own films in Gvadalakhara University. It took Mr. Zanussi 40 hours of flight time to reach Georgia from Mexico. He has arrived to attend the 2nd Film Festival of Batumi, where he was awarded with a prize for his “Contribution to World Cinematography.” Being a participant and winner of many international festivals, Mr. Zanussi shared with us his opinion concerning the Batumi Author’s Film Festival.
__ This is the second year of Batumi hosting a Film Festival. There is an interest in it but still a lack of substantial spectators was observed. In your opinion, what must be done to make the festival more large-scale and to attract a wider audience?
__ The key goal of the festival’s organizers should be attracting audience. There is the potential for people to become interested but they lack the necessary information. In Georgia and in the Caucasus in general people should be encouraged to attend film festivals. The festival will only attract interest if there is a suitable market, but there is no film market in Georgia or in the Caucasus. Directors must get out and meet the public here. I think the festival’s profile also needs some re-thinking. It should subsequently acquire more friends and spectators.
__ You have just finished a new movie called “Black Sun.” Where did the opening night take place?
__ The film was shot in Italy and the opening night was also held there. We had joint work with France, so it will come out in France first and only then in other countries. Of course, I am not completely satisfied with the film, if that was the case I would not continue making other movies. However the film wasn’t a failure, which is good.
__ I remember you once said that you decided to become a film director after watching Ingmar Bergman’s films? Did you know him personally?
__ Of course I did. He was quite a hard-to-reach person. He was the one who founded the European Cinema Academy and invited all European directors who were well-known abroad, so obviously I was invited with them. We used to meet in Germany, which was quite strange and amusing, as he was always warning us of his being a difficult person, which appeared to be the truth at the end of the day. Bergman didn’t like answering questions; and it is so hard to understand something fully without asking questions…
__ Yesterday, at a discussion about your movie, you said that film directors and people of art in general do not often make friends. You were a co-producer of Kislovski’s trilogy (Three colours: red, white and blue), besides that you were a friend of Kislovski and Andrey Tarkovski. How did your friendship develop?
__ It is an interesting question. We knew each other before we came to the film industry. Kislovski was younger by one and a half years and I met him at cinema-school. As for Tarkovski, I have known him since childhood. We became friends when he immigrated to Italy and was rather lonely. I used to visit him quite often and although he was quite a difficult person we were still good friends. I remember once we were travelling in America, and I was driving as he couldn’t do it. It was such an interesting journey. I know many film directors and I can assure you, it is not easy to keep up a strong relationship with them. One needs a lot of time for that. It is impossible to respect and love people of art if you don’t respect their work on the same level. I can love the doctor and respect him even if he is not a good doctor. But as far as art is concerned, if you don’t like the artist’s work it is the same as loving an ugly spirit. This is simply impossible.
__ You are a film, theatre and opera director. Which theatre did you last work in?
__ In this sphere I work mainly abroad. I staged two plays in Poland. I worked at the Kiev National Theatre most recently. I invited artists to my house to take rehearsals. It was such interesting work. Although I don’t know Ukrainian, I could still understand them as I know Czech, Polish and Russian languages. So I could understand the whole idea from catching different words. Unfortunately, it was impossible to study Ukrainian in just two weeks. This language is going through very important changes today; the fate of the country greatly depends on the national language, so it is very important that the National Theatre produces performances in Ukrainian.
__ Do you know the Georgian film industry and Georgian film directors?
__ Of course I do. Georgian cinema was well-known during the Soviet period. I remember I used to like Otar Ioseliani’s films. I often travel to France and have a very close relationship with him. I used to come to Georgia from the Moscow film festival, where my host and guide was Mr Ioseliani, I also know and respect Mrs Lana Gogoberidze.
A couple of years ago I participated in a seminar arranged by the Swiss Government in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. I met many Georgian film directors there. I came to Tbilisi and observed the ongoing changes here. A very interesting trip…
__ Have you been to Batumi before?
__No, this is my first visit there. I have been to Sokhumi, of course during the Soviet period though.
__ Some famous Georgian film directors have become politicians. Have you ever wanted to go in to politics and how acceptable is this idea to you?
__ I don’t think I have the necessary skill for politics. I have had a state job though, and do often take part in various diplomatic events. In this way, I fulfil my civil duties, which is important in itself. However politics is not my cup of tea. I was offered a position of minister and also Ambassador of Poland to Russia, but I refused. I am interested in politics but that’s all, I just keep an eye on current events.
__ As far as I know, you have worked as a lecturer. What do you think about the new generation of modern cinema trends?
__ What does modern cinema mean? It depends what you call modern and what you call old. Ancient Greek tragedies have never lost their topicality. There should always be a dialogue between the generations. New generations are the future of the world. I enjoy meeting the many young people in various universities.
I am a physician and I read a course at the Warsaw Polytechnic Institute, I also give lectures at the Academy of Diplomacy. My lectures are on the study of life rather than any particular subject. I try to share my experience with students, they seem quite interested in it. The faculty of political science of one Mexican University works on my films but not from an aesthetic point of view, future diplomats are not really interested in aesthetics. They are interested in the mental changes of our life. They learn about modern television films and observe the basic changes in thinking.
Actually, I have noticed some changes in the mentality of Georgian people although there is still much to change, many features characteristic to the people of the Soviet Union are still maintained. Yesterday, at the discussion of my film, I was asked how satisfied the government was with my film. Only a person with a Soviet way of thinking could put forward such a question.
In reality, I, as an ordinary citizen can be dissatisfied with my government and ministers. They work with my money, my resources, they should be serving me in the end. This fact is still not fully realized by former Soviet people, who lived without democracy for years and have still not understood democratic values. I see that Georgians are individuals; they should manage to get over their individualism which has been so frustrating over the centuries. They should think of themselves as a whole society and not a group of individuals. I know it is not easy but it is necessary.
__ Mr. Zanus, today you will be awarded with a prize at the film festival, tomorrow you are leaving Georgia. What are you going to do in the future?
__ Whatever life brings along… I never think about my plans too much in advance. I have to travel a lot because of my new movie. I am often invited to conduct master classes. All I know right now is that I am going back to Warsaw tomorrow, and I am meeting some people the day after tomorrow. I have a big house in Warsaw, so every Thursday I meet over 20 talented young people from the Polish provinces, they are my guests on Thursdays. I am occupied until Sunday, no one knows where I could be on Monday.
__ Yesterday, we saw your film ‘Persona Non Grata’ at the festival. When I am listening to you now, I have a feeling that you are the main character of your film, at least you resemble him very much. Do you like this observation or not?
__ (laughing) there is no doubt about it. I write the scripts for my films myself and naturally they are all an outlet for my personality in one way or another.
Discussion about this post