| Director: | Krzysztof Zanussi |
| Starring: |
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| Cinematography: | Slawomir Idziak |
| Editing: | Urszula Sliwinska |
| Music: | Wojciech Kilar |
| Production Companies: | --> |
| Runtime: | 114 minutes |
| Country: | Poland |
| Language: | Polish |
Kontrakt (English: The Contract) is a Polish drama telefilm written and directed by Krzysztof Zanussi. Starring Leslie Caron, Maja Komorowska and Tadeusz Lomnicki, the film was released in 1980.[1]
An "arranged" marriage between the offspring of two wealthy families is about to take place.
More than the union of the bride and groom, it is the union of their tradition-bound families. The bride and groom hardly know each other and do not get along well in their early interaction. The girl learns that her husband-to-be is egoist and singularly career minded. She walks out of the church. Unfazed, the groom's father takes the wedding guests to his villa for the expensive reception. Deals are made between corrupt officials on the sidelines, while the distraught son is taken to the hospital because of attempted suicide.[2]
Gifted Polish director Krzysz Zanussi's barbed social satire in Kontrakt may be lost in translation, quite literally. But he uses the scenario to critically look at society and the place of individual spirit in the late 1970s.[3]
The story bears some resemblance to Anton Chekhov 1889 play The Wedding.
At the Venice Film Festival, the film was the winner of the AGIS Award (Special Mention), UNICEF Award (Honorable Mention) and OCIC Award. It was also the 1981 Winner NBR Award in the category of Top Foreign Films.[4]