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1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

In the chapter on French cinema our text, Teaching World Cinema, discusses a film style
called ‘realism’ that, “involves the conscious construction of a style… which connotes a sense of
unmediated or directly reflected reality” (pg. 73). Although this film is not at all in the realm of
realism, considering the way that it is dripping in drama, poetry, and symbolism, I think the
overall feel of the film is still a very realistic portrayal of a grieving woman. The slow pace of
the film, the intimate camera depth and angles, and the sincerity of the writing and acting all
came together to leave the viewer feeling like we were truly getting a glimpse into this woman’s
life. At the start of the film, for example, when the main character is in the hospital and tries to
take her own life, there’s a long pause while she holds the pills in her mouth, without the courage
to swallow. We can infer everything that is going on in the character’s heart and mind, although
we get only silence and a blank stare from the actress.

2) Find a related article and summarize the content.

In her article, “Three Colours: Blue: Kieślowski, colour and the postmodern subject,”
Emma Wilson provides an analysis of many aspects of the film. This specifically includes the
use and meaning of the color blue throughout the film, the use of perspective, space and camera
angles that mirror the limited view of Julie’s experience that we get to see, and the way that these
elements all come together to reflect Julie’s conscious and ever-present experience to the
viewer’s experience of the film.

https://academic.oup.com/screen/article/39/4/349/1725499?view=long

3) Apply the article to the film screened in class.

In her article, Wilson makes note of the way that the film Three Colours: Blue mirrors
the views of the main character, both ideologically and physically, “down to the very blurring of
the image as her vision is clouded” (pg. 351). As she watches the funeral of her late daughter and
husband through a screen brought to her hospital bed, we don’t lose our view of the scene
because the screen goes blank, but rather because Julie’s denial of the experience makes the
image disappear for both her and the viewer (pg. 353). Wilson also notes how the film moves
back and forth between showing us what Julie perceives and then distancing us from her
perceptions – always reminding the viewer that you can only get as close as she’ll allow you to.
No matter how close, there’s always, “a screen between the viewer and Julie’s feelings,” serving
to reflect the vulnerability and isolation of the grieving woman (pg. 352).

4) Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion, formed as a result
of the screening, class discussions, text material and the article.

When I think about the color blue, my first thought always turns to water, an image that
the film makes great use of. My second is that of Pablo Picasso’s Blue Period – a series of
paintings that the artist created during the most depressing point of his life. All of these paintings
served to convey the artist’s deep grief and sadness through the sole use of shades of blue, much
as I believe was the main purpose of the color blue that is present in the film. In her article,
Wilson talks about the analysis of the perception of the color blue that was made by art theorist,
Wassily Kandinsky, noting that the color blue, “in music…is like a flute” (pg. 350). This element
of blue is also present in the film, not only in the scoring of the film, but also in the music that
Julie finishes composing on behalf of her late husband. This particular song featured an entire
flute solo – and a beautiful one at that.
While my first viewing of the film Three Colours: Blue left me struck, I’ve found an
even deeper appreciation of the film since reading Wilson’s analysis. The insights she provided
into the symbolism and imagery that are ever-present revealed so many layers of the film that I
had never previously realized. I am very new to the world of film interpretation, but I feel that
this film in particular serves as a very promising starting point, as every moment of it offers an
opportunity for interpretation.

Gamm, Kate, and Vivienne Clark. Teaching World Cinema. British Film Institute, 2004.

Wilson, Emma. “Three Colours: Blue: Kieslowski, Colour and the Postmodern Subject.” Screen,
vol. 39, no. 4, 1998, pp. 349–362., doi:10.1093/screen/39.4.349.
1) ( x ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.

2) ( x ) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain
that in the paper.

3) ( x ) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation
and citation within the text.

4) ( x ) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of
the paper.

5) ( x ) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6) ( x ) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the
source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7) ( x ) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality.

8) ( x ) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and
ideas used in my paper.

Name: _____Celena Storck-Martinez_____________ Date: _________4/23/18______________