Film Matters: Please tell us about your article that is being published in Film Matters.
Monica Foster: Much has been said about Charles Baudelaire’s nineteenth-century figure, the flâneur, and its relation to a variety of different disciplines. The flâneur was and still is a figure of modern mobility; he is one who strolls and observes his surroundings. My article for Film Matters introduces the female iteration of the flâneur, the flaneuse, by examining Paweł Pawlikowski’s 2013 film, Ida. The act of flâneurie, is typically a metropolitan activity, and is done at one’s leisure; in other words, it is not a serious activity that involves much labor. In contrast, the flâneuse in Ida, is reflective and has a purpose to her wandering, especially given the film’s historical context: 1960s communist Poland. Through flâneuserie, Ida, the film’s protagonist, navigates urban and rural settings to discover a truth about herself and the world around her. This article gives much to female subjectivity and consciousness under the effects of the Second World War and communism and how the past continues to inform one’s present.
FM: What research and/or methodologies do you incorporate in your article?
MF: I predominantly researched secondary literature to get a sense of ideas that countered the traditional framework of the concept of the flâneur. The primary text, Charles Baudelaire’s, “The Painter of Modern Life,” was used as a springboard to facilitate thoughts around what else could one add or contribute to the concept and image of the flâneur, especially in the context of different time periods. I was pleased to encounter, after some time of research, secondary sources that dealt with the act of flaneur/flâneuserie in settings that are not always urban, and where the figure is not always male.
FM: Describe the original context for/when writing this article while an undergraduate student.
MF: I originally wrote this article for an undergraduate film course on Slavic Film and Ethics. This course and this paper were and are very important to me, considering my Polish background. Originally, I was instructed to choose a film from the course syllabus, but I felt like I could really work with the figure of the flâneur in the context of the film Ida. The flâneur, its history and legacy, is something that I have wanted to write about for quite some time, so I am pleased that I finally had the opportunity to do so. However, I do not think it will be my last!
FM: How have your personal experiences shaped and influenced your writing?
MF: I do not think it is possible to write an essay, a novel, etc. without letting your personal experiences come to the forefront, whether it is consciously or unconsciously. Understanding a particular emotion behind a certain experience will allow you to write about it in a way that is more engaging and real. Instead of denying my experiences and struggles in my writing, I embrace them and welcome them, for I know that my writing and film analyses will be strengthened. I have a personal interest in depth psychology and, consequently, its mechanisms and theories have only helped my analyses, particularly in the realm of character psychology and emotion. My transition into womanhood is forever ongoing and active – I welcome the experiences of life with zest and endless curiosity. I especially hope that the women who read this article can relate to Ida’s journey into life, womanhood, and the complexities of her identity, just as I have been able to.
FM: What aspects of the writing process were most challenging? Why?
MF: I would definitely say word count and page limits and constructing a concise and clear thesis. Not that these are overly difficult things to do, but I am poetic/descriptive writer, which poses a difficulty in keeping things to the point. This can cause problems, because during the editing process, I find it challenging to decide on what parts of the essay I have to trim or remove completely.
FM: What do you enjoy most about your article?
MF: There are many things that I enjoy about my article. I am so pleased that I was finally able to write about a concept that has always intrigued me and that I was able to write about in a new way. I specifically enjoyed writing about how flâneurie/flâneuserie can be experienced in nonurban settings, particularly the countryside and how interacting with nature can bring forth a new kind of experience and relationship with oneself. Analyzing Ida’s development as a woman as she engages in flâneuserie was fascinating; her coming to terms with the complexity of life and her identity provoked a lot of reactions from me. Albeit briefly, it was also a treat for me to discuss the portrayal of youth culture in this film and how it differed from Westernized imagery of youth, particularly American teen films of the late 1950s and early 60s. Most importantly, I am glad that I was able to present this concept in the context of Poland in the 1960s, a time that was socially, politically, and culturally ambivalent and where the horrors and traumas of the Second World War continued to linger.
FM: How has the Film Matters editorial and publication process impacted the development/evolution of your article?
MF: Sometimes, my passion for film and what I am writing about can obstruct page-length requirements and word counts. The publication process has definitely allowed me to trim down certain areas of my article where it became too lengthy. Some say that less is more, and that wordiness takes away from your writing, but if I were to eliminate content from my essay following that advice, it just would not feel like me! It is hard to eliminate words that you personally find meaningful.
FM: What audience do you hope to reach with your Film Matters article and/or what impact do you hope it has on the field of film studies?
MF: With my article, I hope to reach an audience that is interested in Polish cinema or who may not know much about it in general. I hope that this article will introduce a new way of looking at the flâneur/flaneuse in a historical political context, which at first glance, did not seem to provide many opportunities to engage in such an activity. Additionally, I hope that this article will inform readers about some of the realities of living under a communist regime, as well as the horrors of the Second World War and how Polish Jews were treated.
FM: How has your department and/or institution supported your work in film and media?
MF: The Cinema Studies Institute, in conjunction with the Slavic Languages and Literature department, has allowed me to explore a wide variety of different films as well as different methodological approaches to analyzing and reading films. I am grateful that I was given the freedom to write outside of the confines of what was expected.
FM: How has your faculty mentor fostered your advancement as a film scholar?
MF: Professor Agnieszka Jezyk has been a wonderful and tremendous support in my advancement as a film scholar. She has given me very helpful feedback on this paper and provided me with ways that I can strengthen my argument and make it more concrete. The topic of this essay, at first, seems rather peculiar, for how can one apply Baudelaire’s flâneur to a film such as Ida? Regardless of the paper’s atypicality, Professor Jezyk had confidence in my work and greatly encouraged me to submit my paper for publishing as well as attend academic conferences.
FM: What advice do you have for undergraduate film and media scholars?
MF: My advice for undergraduate film and media scholars is to always explore the topics that bring you the deepest joy and interest, and do not be afraid of where it will take you! University is not about the diploma, or “piece of paper” that is received at the end — it is about the skills, experiences, and knowledge that you cultivate, and the growth (academic and personal) that you undergo during the course of your study.
FM: What are your future plans?
MF: I have recently started my graduate studies in film, so that will definitely keep me busy for the next two years! I want to potentially pursue opportunities in film archiving and preservation and maybe even film exhibition. Something I will always want to do is share my love for films with others and inspire people to view films that they previously were not acquainted with; I cannot envision a life where I am not writing or speaking about classical Hollywood cinema or some obscure, little-known film! I would love to travel the world as well and see all the places that I have always dreamed of seeing. Until then, in the words of Agnes Varda, “I live in cinema. I feel I lived here forever.”
Author Biography
Monica Foster is a graduate student at Concordia University in Québec. Her primary interests include classical Hollywood cinema, exploitation films, psychoanalysis, surrealism, and how history is presented in films. Having no favorite film, she prefers to speak and write of films that touch and crystallize the soul.
