A Short Film About Killing

As contemplative as it is confrontational, Kieslowski addresses the notion of violence directly. Through a seemingly random murder by Jacek, followed by his state-sanctioned execution, Kieslowski does not seek to shock but to awaken sympathy in the audience. As we witness the killings, Kieslowski’s camera lingers and traps us inside the moral weight of each of these despicable acts. As a result, the film becomes less of a crime story and more of a philosophical contemplation. Kieslowski asks existential questions about justice, responsibility, and the human cost of punishment. Coincidentally (or not), this exceptional film was released in 1988, which also marked the last year of capital punishment in Poland.

Both A Short Film About Killing and A Short Film About Love are feature-length adaptations of The Decalogue, a TV series Kieślowski created for Polish TV.