Krzysztof Kieślowski

The Double Life of Véronique

The Double Life of Véronique

Krzysztof Kieślowski's international breakthrough remains one of his most beloved films, a ravishing, mysterious rumination on identity, love, and human intuition. Irène Jacob is incandescent as both Weronika, a Polish choir soprano, and her double, Véronique, a French music teacher. Though unknown to each other, the two women share an enigmatic, emotional bond, which Kieślowski details in gorgeous reflections, colors, and movements. Aided by Slawomir Idziak's shimmering cinematography and Zbigniew Preisner's haunting, operatic score, Kieślowski creates one of cinema's most purely metaphysical works. The Double Life of Véronique is an unforgettable symphony of feeling.

Film Info

  • France
  • 1991
  • 97 minutes
  • Color
  • 1.66:1
  • Polish, French
  • Spine #359

Special Features

  • New, restored high-definition digital transfer, with DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on Blu-ray edition
  • Audio commentary by Annette Insdorf, author of Double Lives, Second Chances: The Cinema of Krzysztof Kieślowski
  • Three short documentary films by Kieślowski: Factory (1970), Hospital (1976), and Railway Station (1980)
  • The Musicians (1958), a short film by Kieślowski's teacher Kazimierz Karabasz
  • Kieślowski's Dialogue (1991), a documentary featuring a candid interview with Kieślowski and rare behind-the-scenes footage from the set of The Double Life of Véronique
  • 1966-1988: Kieślowski, Polish Filmmaker, a 2005 documentary tracing the filmmaker's work in Poland, from his days as a student through The Double Life of Véronique
  • A 2005 interview with actress Irène Jacob
  • Interviews with cinematographer Slawomir Idziak and composer Zbigniew Preisner
  • New and improved English subtitle translation
  • PLUS: An essay by critic Jonathan Romney and selections from Kieślowski on Kieślowski

    New cover by Neil Kellerhouse

Purchase Options

Special Features

  • New, restored high-definition digital transfer, with DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on Blu-ray edition
  • Audio commentary by Annette Insdorf, author of Double Lives, Second Chances: The Cinema of Krzysztof Kieślowski
  • Three short documentary films by Kieślowski: Factory (1970), Hospital (1976), and Railway Station (1980)
  • The Musicians (1958), a short film by Kieślowski's teacher Kazimierz Karabasz
  • Kieślowski's Dialogue (1991), a documentary featuring a candid interview with Kieślowski and rare behind-the-scenes footage from the set of The Double Life of Véronique
  • 1966-1988: Kieślowski, Polish Filmmaker, a 2005 documentary tracing the filmmaker's work in Poland, from his days as a student through The Double Life of Véronique
  • A 2005 interview with actress Irène Jacob
  • Interviews with cinematographer Slawomir Idziak and composer Zbigniew Preisner
  • New and improved English subtitle translation
  • PLUS: An essay by critic Jonathan Romney and selections from Kieślowski on Kieślowski

    New cover by Neil Kellerhouse
The Double Life of Véronique
Cast
Irène Jacob
Weronika/Véronique
Philippe Volter
Alexandre Fabbri
Sandrine Dumas
Catherine
Halina Gryglaszewka
Aunt
Wladyslaw Kowalski
Weronika's father
Jerzy Gudejko
Antek
Claude Duneton
Véronique's father
Credits
Director
Krzysztof Kieślowski
Producer
Leonardo de la Fuente
Screenplay
Krzysztof Kieślowski
Screenplay
Krzysztof Piesiewicz
Director of photography
Slawomir Idziak
Set decoration
Patrice Mercier
Original music
Zbigniew Preisner
Editor
Jacques Witta

Current

The Double Life of Véronique:Through the Looking Glass

The Double Life of Véronique:
Through the Looking Glass

When Krzysztof Kieślowski’s The Double Life of Véronique was first screened at Cannes, in 1991, the critical reception was rapturous. Georgia Brown declared in the Village Voice, “Anything I say about [the film] is merely a labored minuet dance…

By Jonathan Romney

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