2021 Tarkovsky Prize 1st Place: Cheryl Chen
KLOPKA: Existing in the Gray
by Cheryl Chen
Srdan Golubovic’s Klopka explores the great lengths a person is willing to go to save their loved one. Unable to afford a life-saving surgery for his son, the protagonist, Mladen, is faced with an impossible dilemma: take another man’s life for money or watch his son die. When he chooses the former, he plunges into a trench of overwhelming guilt that ultimately destroys his life. Weaving elements of irony, psychological turmoil, and symbolism, Klopka guides its audience on an emotional journey where insights about morality, wealth, and human nature are revealed.
While watching the film, a recurrent question surfaced in my mind: what would I do if I were in the main character’s shoes? On one hand, would I have courage to abandon my moral values and kill another person who also had a family? On the other hand, would I be able to live with the guilt of allowing my child to die when there was an alternative option? The complexity of this constructed dilemma results in no definite right answer. They are both terrible choices. However, depending on an individual’s values, one choice may be slightly more favorable than the other. Some, who have experienced parenthood, may argue that the sacrifices and consequences from committing murder outweigh the pain of losing their child. Others may feel that murder is unjustified in any circumstance. Although I have come to the conclusion that I simply do not possess the conscience required to assassinate someone, I acknowledge the justifications for both sides and sympathize with Mladen. All in all, Klopka compelled me to assess my own moral values through the perspective of the protagonist.
This film also influenced me to reflect upon the divisions of wealth in society. People of low socioeconomic status are inherently disadvantaged. In the film, Mladen’s bleak situation is contrasted with backdrops of gaudy homes and luxurious items—most notable being an empty picture frame worth the same amount of money as the surgery. The comparison between the picture frame and his son’s life emphasizes how every life is not equal. Although we are all of the same species, social constructs like wealth play a significant role in determining one’s value and limitations in society. The tragedy that unraveled within the film could have been averted if a child’s survival was not tied to a hefty price tag. However, while Klopka comments on the importance of affluence in our money-oriented society, it also displays the dangers of attaching one’s worth solely on material wealth. The man who hired Mladen and falsely promised him money embodies this idea. These were actions of a desperate man who clearly wanted to cling onto his lavish home and status, despite owing an enormous amount of debt to a menacing mobster. Examining the influence of wealth, Klopka strikes a balance in exhibiting the power of money in our unequal society and the dangerous pursuit of it.
Furthermore, I particularly enjoyed how Klopka portrayed the duplicity of human nature. On multiple occasions, people doubted that Mladen could ever be involved in a crime as heinous as murder. For instance, upon hearing Mladen’s confession, the policeman dismissed his statements and believed he was mentally insane. Depicting the principal character as “the common man”, the film demonstrates that individuals who are fundamentally good can still be fallible. In other words, human beings can be just as flawed and immoral as the situations that are imposed on them. Coupled with the dreary coloring of the film, Klopka succeeds in illustrating the moral grayness in human nature. In addition, duplicity extends to the supporting characters as well, giving them multidimensionality. Mladen’s mysterious employer is actually a fearful, demoralized debtor while the dangerous mobster is also portrayed as a loving family man. This drives home the message that appearances are sometimes deceiving. Moreover, appearances control the assumptions that society makes, but it cannot fully captivate the complexities of human nature. Klopka’s unpredictable, yet grounded, story and character development subverted my expectations in every aspect.
As I stand on the verge of adulthood, I can imagine myself in the protagonist’s position. Gripping the steering wheel of the red Renault 4, I stare ahead to the diverging roads at the gloomy intersection. The street light flickers green, but I do not accelerate forward. Instead, I remain still on the driver’s seat, contemplating which road I should venture. Regardless of the avenue I choose, I can only hope that I do not lose my sense of direction.