The film was sculpted and whittled down to 90-odd minutes, consisting of impressionistic editing, visual poetry, and whisps and strings of inconsequential plot.
In the supplementary interviews, director Krzysztof Kieslowski says he creates films about “what unites us, not what divides us”. Connections are formed between our characters regardless of geographic distance, regardless of whether we have ever met.
The focal point is the stylistic break in reality: Veronique and Weronika, two different women, identical in appearance, played by the same actress. They briefly catch sight of one another in the distance, amid a sea of chaos. Are they the same person, in two different bodies? Long lost twins? Clones? The embodiment of the ideal someone out there just like me?
It’s a very moving concept, if you can manage to catch sight of it. Kieslowski avoids stating anything outright. He doesn’t want to tell us any lies. Putting labels or definitions or marks of significance on any particular moment would pull you further away from the moment itself. Words are infrequent, and only serve to distract Veronika from her search, her struggle, whatever makes up the essence of her experience.
In the end, we’re left with only questions. That’s the best gift a film can give. Why should a film end when the credits roll?
