Zanussi Flies Celluloid Flag
'Persona Non Grata', a feature by the internationally-acclaimed Polish director Krzysztof Zanussi, has been shown at the Venice Film Festival. It is Poland’s official entry at the event.
In an interview for Polish Radio, Zanussi said he was happy with initial reactions to his film. It tells a story of a Polish ambassador to Uruguay struggling to come to terms with his wife’s death as his diplomatic career crumbles.
Under pressure to secure a lucrative arms contract, the protagonist, a former anti-Soviet dissident, ends up unearthing past troubles when he meets an old Russian friend, now a deputy foreign minister.
In an interview for Reuters, Zanussi said Persona non grata is a film about someone who is facing reality. Reality is bitter but we have to face our own imperfections’.
Zanussi has many international successes to his credit, including the 1984 Golden Lion at the Venice Festival for ‘The Year of the Quiet Sun’.