Three Colors: Red

The conclusion of Three Colors trilogy was also Kieślowski’s last film; “it is his summation work; he had said all that he had to say,” noted one colleague. The beautiful model Valentine (Irène Jacob) lives an idyllic, though disconnected, existence, with her only friend a perpetually traveling, petulant lover. A retired judge (Jean-Louis Trintignant) has retreated from the world, and can only stand humanity when he’s voyeuristically eavesdropping on it. A chance encounter leads these two strangers into an unlikely friendship, while in their world—but never touching them—runs another life, that of a younger judge. Where Blue was “against” the narcissism of ultimate liberty, and White uncertain of equality’s existence, Red argues that fraternity, the ability to connect with others, is what makes us human. “Red is a film against indifference,” claimed writer Krzysztof Piesiewicz, which would indeed make it a summation of Kieślowski’s remarkable career.