Eyes wide closed | Klub Filmowy Perspek

How well do we know the person we share life with? Does sincerity always approach, and jealousy must mean betrayal? At the end of this year's meetings of the Perspectives Film Club, we invite you to “Eyes Wide Shut” - a mesmerizing psychological drama by Stanley Kubrick, which for more than a quarter of a century has fascinated viewers, provokes interpretation and does not allow you to forget yourself.

Bill Harford (Tom Cruise) is a respected New York doctor, and his wife Alice (Nicole Kidman) worked at an art gallery. Together they raise a daughter, lead a prosperous life in Manhattan and rotate among wealthy, influential people. Their marriage seems stable, but beneath the surface of everyday closeness are unfulfilled desires, jealousy and questions that they have not dared to ask themselves until now.

It all starts with a lavish party where they both experience interest from strangers. A subsequent seemingly innocent conversation about fidelity and fantasies leads to Alice's confession, which shatters Bill's confidence and his idea of their relationship so far. A shaken man sets off on a night hike in New York, gradually immersing himself in a world of temptations, secrets and disturbing encounters. His search leads him to an exclusive, closed community whose participants hide their identities behind masks. With each passing hour it becomes more and more difficult to distinguish reality from fantasy, and curiosity begins to give way to fear. Kubrick creates a multi-layered tale of intimacy, sexuality, power, social privilege, and the fragility of human sense of security. It uses the slow rhythm of the narrative, evocative music, precisely composed frames and a dreamlike atmosphere to draw the viewer into a world where almost every gesture and detail can have extra meaning.

The film is based on the novel “Traumnovelle” by Arthur Schnitzler, which takes place in Vienna at the turn of the 20th century. Kubrick transferred the story to modern New York, retaining its psychological character. Interestingly, most of New York's streets and interiors have been recreated in the UK, giving the city a deliberately unrealistic, almost theatrical look.

It is also the last film in the career of Stanley Kubrick, director of “The Shining”, “Mechanical Orange”, “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “Full Metal Jacket”. The creator died in March 1999, just a few days after the studio presented his edited version. The film was released in cinemas a few months later. The main roles were played by Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, who at the time of the production were married also in private life. They are joined on screen by Sydney Pollack, Todd Field and Vinessa Shaw.

Although initially the film provoked extreme reactions, today it occupies a special place in discussions about Kubrick's work. Its ambiguity means that subsequent sessions allow us to see new meanings, symbols and relationships between the protagonists.

After the screening, we invite you to a joint discussion led by Błażej Grabowski. We will consider where the line between dream and reality runs in the film, how Kubrick portrays marriage and desires, and what really lies behind the eponymous wide-closed eyes. We will also talk about the characteristic film language of the director and why his latest work still evokes so much emotion.

This is an excellent opportunity to watch one of the most intriguing films of the late 20th century on the big screen, and then share your own interpretations with a circle of cinema lovers.

11 December, 18:00 | Centrum Kultury Nowy Pafawag | Tickets: PLN 15

Come to the screening, stay for an interview and let's end the film year together in the Perspektury Film Club!