Camera Buff

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Cast & Crew

Jerzy Stuhr
Filip Mosz

Malgorzata Zabkowska
Irka Mosz

Ewa Pokas
Anna Wlodarczyk

Stefan Czyzewski
Director

Jerzy Nowak
Osuch

Tadeusz Bradecki
Witek Jachowicz

Marek Litewka
Piotrek Krawczyk

Bogusław Sobczuk
Kedzierski

Krzysztof Kieslowski
Director

Krzysztof Kieslowski
Writer

Wielislawa Piotrowska
Producer

Krzysztof Knittel
Original Music

Jacek Petrycki
Cinematographer

Halina Nawrocka
Film Editing

Rafal Waltenberger
Production Design

Barbara Kociuba
Set Decoration

Gabriela Star-Tyszkiewicz
Costume Design

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Audience Reviews for Camera Buff

• Jul 20, 2011

  Every auteur has his/her own way to express his/her love towards cinema. We've had several testaments, from 8 1/2 to Pastoral: To Die in the Country, from La Nuit Américaine to Terror Firmer (haha). Camera Buff emanates love and passion in every frame, and tells us about the consequences such life may unleash along the way, both personally and those regarding people directly and indirectly involved with one's life. As far as my experience has gone, I have not encountered a better Kieslowski masterpiece than this one. He must really have gotten very excited to have Krzysztof Zanussi in his film. Alternatively, Zanussi must have been intelligent enough to see promising talents in Kieslowski, just like fate stumbles upon Filip Mosz (Jerzy Stuhr) without previous warning. 99/100
  Edgar C Super Reviewer
• Feb 15, 2011

  What a fantastic film about the artist's journey and the desire for something more than mere "tranquility." While this is my first Kieslowski film, this seemed to be a good place to start as it illuminates Kieslowski's own passion and perfectly encompasses the power & consequences of film. While I would have liked to see more about the effects on the protagonists home life, it is none the less a powerful film. I am very excited to check out the rest of the director's work.
  Reid V Super Reviewer
• Oct 16, 2009

  First, a warning: "Camera Buff" has nowhere near the stylized atmosphere of later Krzysztof Kieslowski films such as "Red," "Blue" and "The Double Life of Veronique." Kieslowski's first feature is about overcast mornings, gray walls and functionally lit rooms, and the musical score barely exists. The cast is almost as colorless. "Camera Buff" can be classified as a satire, but it's too bleak to have any real laughs. Filip Mosz is a vulnerable man with a dull factory job and a habit of hiccupping when nervous. His wife is about to give birth. To document his child's life, he splurges on a film camera. Then his boss hears of the purchase and hires him to shoot the plant's upcoming anniversary celebration -- even though Filip is an obvious novice (the film's Polish title strictly translates as "Amateur"). Complications escalate from there. His movie (which is not portrayed as anything impressive) is shown at a small festival and inspires further projects. But as his footage begins to show too much grim reality, the local Communist Party develops concerns and his boss presses him to make edits. Since the boss helps fund him, these objections can't be brushed off. Meanwhile, Filip's risky new obsession increasingly exasperates his wife and may ruin their relationship. The film is a bit overlong and has a slow middle, but the last act packs a powerful message. This includes an unexpectedly touching moment with a handicapped man seeing himself on television -- there is nothing so sentimental elsewhere in the story, and the emotional tug comes purely from the look in the actor's eyes. Beautiful work. And the final scene is perfection. Director (and Kieslowski colleague) Krzysztof Zanussi makes a short appearance as himself, inserting some philosophy about filmmaking ethics during a presumably unscripted symposium. The line between drama and documentary blurs here. "Camera Buff" takes aim at both Communist bureaucracy and the new-sensation hype that dependably drives the movie industry. "A film director once joked that he was a civil servant," a TV executive tells Filip. "Actually, he was right."
  

  Eric B Super Reviewer
• Sep 09, 2008

  Kieslowski's testament as an amateur film-maker.The movie shows that,not the movie as a whole.The movie within a movie is a brilliant characteristic executed perfectly by his alter ego Jerzy Stuhr.From the first frame to the last second we as audience feel the passion of one's dream and the consequences around his community.Special appearance by director Zanussi,another legend of Polish cinema.
  Dimitris S Super Reviewer

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