Les têtes parlantes

In 1980, the late Krzysztof Kieslowski interviewed a number of ordinary Poles (born at various times over the preceding 100 years), asking them who they were and what they wanted from life. The results were assembled into this short film. What strikes one today, whether it is a sign of communist Poland at this time, or merely of Kieslowksi's own fascination with moral questions, is how sombre and serious most of the answers are: no-one says they want to sleep with a film star or make a quick million. It's also noticeable how similar the answers are, despite the great age difference of the participants. The best answer is fittingly the last one.

In "Gadajace glowy" ("Talking Heads") Krzysztof Kieslowski filmed people of all ages and asked them when they were born, what they are, and what they would like the most in life. The film assembles their responses with straight cuts from youngest to oldest (starting with a baby and ending with a lady of 100 years-old), and with their birth years appearing on screen, going from 1979 until 1880.

But what's so fascinating about this short documentary is how the things said by all the people interviewed are the same things most people, all around the globe, want in their lives, so the film proves that we have a common goal in different stages of life. A kid answers that all he wants in life is to have a car, later a grow man still doesn't know what he wants for his life except to know what it is to be a human being, some people share great aspects of their lives and others a more reserved, quite sad opinions, but in the end all of their statements is to tell that they expect of life better and good things.

It's a very positive film in its simple achievement, way better than "49 Up" a documentary that followed the lives of a bunch of individuals and most of them succeeding in what they were destined to be, others don't. In these last one, I haven't found much use of the information provided, it was depressive and almost pointless. It's good but very forgettable. Now, "Gadajace glowy" is very good and Kieslowski makes a universal work (even though the people interviewed are Polish) that resonates life as it is. Complex and simple at the same time, all people want the same things out of it (and you'll be identified with most of the answers given) but something makes us closer of our destiny, other times very distant, almost impossible. For everything that stands it's a great and unforgettable documentary. Thumbs UP! 10/10

Since I'm enjoying the "Dekalog" films so much, I wanted to check out some of acclaimed Polish filmmaker Krzysztof Kieślowski's other work before continuing the series. Because it has been in my watchlist for a while now, I decided to watch his 18 minute long documentary film "Talking Heads". In the film, many different people are interviewed and speak about their personalities, life, problems, and desires. It's a fascinating and intriguing idea that is executed very well.

This film really seems to represent life itself. Sometimes it is funny, sometimes it is sad-you meet many different personalities and you have many different characteristics. In this film, all sorts of people are interviewed from ages 1 to 100. Some of them are happy, others are sad, and all of their moods and emotions clash together beautifully to create a wonderful portrait of the world surrounding us all.

The idea behind this short film is breathtakingly simple yet its execution by Krzysztof Kieślowski is truly masterful. Each time I watch this documentary I am experiencing a profound sense of being close, touchingly close to another human's heart.

Tender, human dimension of many of these strangers, young, elderly, and some very old, highly educated, and some plain simple -- yet all of them so genuine, so real, and dignified, as never any actor could possibly be, makes me want to embrace many of them and say: "You are my dear brother, you are my beloved sister."

This work of Kieślowski demonstrates perhaps better than ever that the Polish film director first of all was interested in what was Genuine, what was Profound, what was True and Essential. A master of human heart, of human soul, and of camera.

Seemingly dozens of people tackle this question, from an infant who sits there silently, to a woman a hundred years old.

Actually, they don't seem to address the first question, or perhaps in Polish the distinction is not clear. They answer not who they are, but what they are: a potential fireman, or a taxi driver, or a sociologist, or a recent widow or one hundred years old. The answer to the second question also shows an interesting arc: the very young speak of what they want personally, the adults of what they want society to be, and the old and very old.... want nothing. A few more years perhaps.