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Krzysztof Kieslowski's The Double Life of Veronique tells the stories of two young women, Weronika and Veronique, both played by French actress Irene Jacob. One lives in Poland, the other in France. Both are passionate about music, love and life. Both have weak hearts. They never meet in the film, though Weronika sees Veronique from afar during a street protest in Poland. At times, they feel each other's presence, but don't know how to react to the feeling.

Exploring a simple story based on the myth of the ‘twin soul’, the film is a heady concoction of music, spirituality and transcendence that although slightly surreal in principle, is utterly convincing in its execution. The story is also completely indigineous to the medium of cinema because it is totally reliant on images and music – and Jacob’s tour-de-force, expressive and sensitive performance.

BD50, 2xDVD9 | 1080p AVC, NTSC | 01:38:06 | 43.8 Gb + 14.1 Gb
Language: Polish
Subtitles: English

Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski
Cast: Irene Jacob, Wladyslaw Kowalski, Halina Gryglaszewska
Country: France, Poland, Norway
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Music, Mystery, Romance

Extras:

• Commentary - an exclusive audio commentary with Annette Insdorf, author of Double Life, Second Chances: The Cinema of Krzysztof Kieslowski. The commentary was recorded in 2006.

• Short Films -

-- The Musicians (1958). Directed by Kazimierz Karabasz, a Polish documentary filmmaker in the late 1050s, who taught director Kieslowski at The Lodz Film School in the 1960s. In Polish, with optional English subtitles. (11 min, 1080i).

-- Factory (1970). Director Kieslowski shot this short film shortly after he graduated from The Lodz Film School in 1970. This was also one of the director's first professional films. The story of the film revolves around a group of disillusioned workers in a steel factory. In Polish, with optional English subtitles. (19 min, 1080i).

-- Hospital (1976). One of the last documentary films director Kieslowski made for WFD before he focused on fiction films. The film follows a group of frustrated doctors as they struggle to perform their duties. In Polish, with optional English subtitles. (22 min, 1080i).

-- Railway Station (1980). A unique look at a busy railway station where people are observed by a big camera. In Polish, with optional English subtitles. (14 min, 1080i).

• Kieslowski-Dialogue - a long and very informative featurette in which the Polish director discusses his films, the type of conflicts they address, their characters, what separates and unites people, politics, religion, etc. Kieslowski also discusses the two heroines in The Double Life of Veronique, the type of atmosphere he wanted to create in the film, the importance of music in it, etc. In Polish and French, with optional English subtitles. (53 min).

• 1966-1988: Kieslowski, Polish Filmmaker - a wonderful summation of Kieslowski's career as a filmmaker. Produced by MK2. In French, with optional English subtitles. (31 min, 1080i).

• Slawomir Idziak - in this exclusive interview, conducted in London in 2006, the famous Polish cinematographer recalls his professional relationship with Kieslowski, as well as the socio-political climate in Poland before and after The Double Life of Veronique was completed. In Polish, with optional English subtitles. (25 min, 1080i).

• Zbigniew Preisner - in this exclusive interview, conducted in Krakow, Poland, in 2006, the acclaimed composer recalls his first encounter with Kieslowski and then discusses their work together. In Polish, with optional English subtitles. (22 min, 1080i).

• Irene Jacob - French actress recalls how she met Kieslowski and her work on The Double Life of Veronique. In French, with optional English subtitles. (17 min, 1080i).

• U.S. Ending - an alternate ending, which Harvey Weinstein, head of Miramax, requested for the U.S. release of The Double Life of Veronique. (6 min, 1080i).