Fall 2024—Wednesday, November 6, 7:30 p.m.

A still image from the film of a woman standing between cable cars with a raised hand.

Barrier

Bariera

1966, 77 minutes
Directed and written by: Jerzy Skolimowski
Music: Krzysztof Komeda
Principal cast: Jan Nowicki, Joanna Szczerbic, Tadeusz Łomnicki, Maria Malicka, Zdzisław Maklakiewicz, and Ryszard Pietruski

Description

A rebellious student wants to get total independence and overcome all the barriers in his life: of money, age, status, cults and conventions. Convinced that ideals are meant to be lost sooner or later, he decides to speed up the process, and quickly establish himself within the society of “small stabilization”. However, he meets a girl with completely different ideals. The title of the film introduces the theme of the generational conflict, the barrier which exists between the young man and his elderly father who remains far closer to his memories of the war than to the realities of Sixties Poland. The film bursts with startling imagery, perfectly complemented by Krzysztof Komeda's innovative jazz score.