December 14, 2022
FILM: THE BALCONY MOVIE
DIRECTED BY: PAWEL LOZINSKI
RATING: 3 ½ OUT OF 4 STARS
By Dan Pal
Have you ever taken the time to observe people passing by your home? Probably not. Most of us don’t. Yet we all know there are a host of characters walking down our streets that probably have fascinating stories to tell. If this idea in any way intrigues you then you’ll love Pawel Lozinski’s documentary, The Balcony Movie. Taken from the second floor balcony of his home in Warsaw, Lozinski places his camera looking down on the sidewalk and waits for people to pass by. With a long boom microphone to pick up their voices, Lozinski asks strangers, and neighbors, general questions like, “how are you doing?” “tell me about yourself.” But what he’s really searching for are answers to life’s more philosophical questions like, “Why do we live?” and “What is the meaning of life?” The answers often prove surprising. Far from being a dull, talky, intellectual exercise, The Balcony Movie is a character-driven, entertaining, and profound piece of work.
Lozinski notes to one passerby that he’s lived in the same place for twenty years. Some of these people he knows and others are completely random, which makes this project fun and unpredictable. There are some who refuse to speak for more than a few seconds as they head off to work or walk their dogs. The real fascinating people are those that take the time to answer his questions. When asked where she finds meaning, one woman says it’s all in the rosary. The conversation she has with Lozinski, an admitted agnostic, is lighthearted but offers more than just surface talk. Another woman walks down the street reading a book by the late Carl Sagan and talks about some of his theories about the universe. One man shares his sadness over the death of his best friend who he later admits as being his lover of forty years. He’s now a bit lost but open to talking about his feelings for the man. A couple of people sing. One man performs magic tricks. Note though that these discussions are brief. None of the interactions overstays its welcome and each has its own unique focus and emotionality.
The most interesting people are those that recur in front of Lozinski’s camera. He shot the film over the course of a year as seasons change and the individuals’ lives change. One maan was recently released from jail and is now living in the streets. He stops by periodically to talk to Lozinski. He’s very open about his rough circumstances at present and Lozinski, being very kind to him, throws down one of his ironed shirts as a gift. There’s also a recovering alcoholic and a woman who’s husband died over a decade earlier who she now wishes she’d paid more attention to in the years they were together.
Some stories such as these are a bit heartbreaking but they’re always interesting to hear. These are real people who become characters in Lozinski’s world. We look forward to seeing what has transpired in their lives since we last saw them and hope they’re doing better (like the real people in Michael Apted’s famous Up series.)
Perhaps the most quietly interesting person he encounters is the old woman who mows the grass outside of his home and takes care of the sidewalk whether it needs to be brushed of leaves or shoveled off of snow. She’s persistent in her routines that give her life meaning.
It is these types of characters that make the film so interesting. Yes, the camera remains generally in the same place throughout the film but Lozinski does occasionally pan the street or zoom in when someone has a particularly rich story to tell. It is interesting to think how these interactions might be different if Lozinski lived on the first floor. Would he be so open to communicating with these passers by? Does the second floor allow him to keep a distance as filmmaker and subject?
In the end, this is a story about people, often caught off guard, who have a few moments to speak and share to the world their thoughts, disappointments, and dreams. It’s a very stimulating project, assuming you’d rather hear from real people than fantasy superheroes.
The Balcony Movie is currently streaming on MUBI. If you don’t have MUBI, send me a message and I may be able to share you the link.
FILM: THE BALCONY MOVIE
DIRECTED BY: PAWEL LOZINSKI
RATING: 3 ½ OUT OF 4 STARS
By Dan Pal
Have you ever taken the time to observe people passing by your home? Probably not. Most of us don’t. Yet we all know there are a host of characters walking down our streets that probably have fascinating stories to tell. If this idea in any way intrigues you then you’ll love Pawel Lozinski’s documentary, The Balcony Movie. Taken from the second floor balcony of his home in Warsaw, Lozinski places his camera looking down on the sidewalk and waits for people to pass by. With a long boom microphone to pick up their voices, Lozinski asks strangers, and neighbors, general questions like, “how are you doing?” “tell me about yourself.” But what he’s really searching for are answers to life’s more philosophical questions like, “Why do we live?” and “What is the meaning of life?” The answers often prove surprising. Far from being a dull, talky, intellectual exercise, The Balcony Movie is a character-driven, entertaining, and profound piece of work.
Lozinski notes to one passerby that he’s lived in the same place for twenty years. Some of these people he knows and others are completely random, which makes this project fun and unpredictable. There are some who refuse to speak for more than a few seconds as they head off to work or walk their dogs. The real fascinating people are those that take the time to answer his questions. When asked where she finds meaning, one woman says it’s all in the rosary. The conversation she has with Lozinski, an admitted agnostic, is lighthearted but offers more than just surface talk. Another woman walks down the street reading a book by the late Carl Sagan and talks about some of his theories about the universe. One man shares his sadness over the death of his best friend who he later admits as being his lover of forty years. He’s now a bit lost but open to talking about his feelings for the man. A couple of people sing. One man performs magic tricks. Note though that these discussions are brief. None of the interactions overstays its welcome and each has its own unique focus and emotionality.
The most interesting people are those that recur in front of Lozinski’s camera. He shot the film over the course of a year as seasons change and the individuals’ lives change. One maan was recently released from jail and is now living in the streets. He stops by periodically to talk to Lozinski. He’s very open about his rough circumstances at present and Lozinski, being very kind to him, throws down one of his ironed shirts as a gift. There’s also a recovering alcoholic and a woman who’s husband died over a decade earlier who she now wishes she’d paid more attention to in the years they were together.
Some stories such as these are a bit heartbreaking but they’re always interesting to hear. These are real people who become characters in Lozinski’s world. We look forward to seeing what has transpired in their lives since we last saw them and hope they’re doing better (like the real people in Michael Apted’s famous Up series.)
Perhaps the most quietly interesting person he encounters is the old woman who mows the grass outside of his home and takes care of the sidewalk whether it needs to be brushed of leaves or shoveled off of snow. She’s persistent in her routines that give her life meaning.
It is these types of characters that make the film so interesting. Yes, the camera remains generally in the same place throughout the film but Lozinski does occasionally pan the street or zoom in when someone has a particularly rich story to tell. It is interesting to think how these interactions might be different if Lozinski lived on the first floor. Would he be so open to communicating with these passers by? Does the second floor allow him to keep a distance as filmmaker and subject?
In the end, this is a story about people, often caught off guard, who have a few moments to speak and share to the world their thoughts, disappointments, and dreams. It’s a very stimulating project, assuming you’d rather hear from real people than fantasy superheroes.
The Balcony Movie is currently streaming on MUBI. If you don’t have MUBI, send me a message and I may be able to share you the link.