Three Colours: Red

The conclusion to the 'Three Colours' trilogy is set in Geneva and focuses on Valentine (Jacob), a young model with an absent but possessive boyfriend. After running over a dog, Valentine tracks down its owner, a reclusive, retired judge (Trintignant) who eavesdrops on phone calls, including those between a law student and his lover, a weather reporter. While Kieslowski dips into various interconnecting lives, the central drama is the electrifying encounter between Valentine - caring, troubled - and the judge, whose tendency to play God fails to match, initially, the girl's compassion. It's a film about destiny and chance, solitude and communication, cynicism and faith, doubt and desire; about lives affected by forces beyond rationalisation. The assured direction avoids woolly mysticism by using material resources - actors, colour, movement, composition, sound - to illuminate abstract concepts. Stunningly beautiful, powerfully scored and immaculately performed, the film is virtually flawless, and one of the very greatest cinematic achievements of the last few decades. A masterpiece.