Solo
Media
Few men could claim the scope, breadth and versatility of late 20th and early 21st century artist Polish Boguslaw Schaeffer. A visionary who raised the concept of "renaissance man" to a new plateau, Schaeffer held court in the arenas of graphic design, filmmaking, electronica composition and playwriting, commanding equal respect in each. Yet oddly, Schaeffer opted at an early age to remain well out of the limelight, rendering much of the general public largely ignorant of his work and his plays nearly impossible to publish thanks to his lack of recognition. Maciej Pisarek's documentary Solo operates on two distinct planes: on one, it ventures into the professional and personal world of Schaeffer for a quintessentially unique biographical portrait of this extraordinary man, while on another, it pays homage to an artist's creative process, and the paths via which he searches for the "absolute" form of artistic expression as he ventures from endeavor to endeavor.
Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
Solo takes an impressionistic ride through Cracow with the meticulous, reclusive artist recounting his life, work and singular aesthetic views. Schaeffer has long shunned the spotlight, one reason for his relative obscurity. "I'm sure that a few years ago it wouldn't have been possible to make the film. But he's nearly 80 now, so I knew he was in a position where, you know (…) he wanted to have a film," Pisarek says. "It was a challenge to get his confidence. I think we succeeded because on the premier day, [Schaeffer offered] the best compliment I've had about this movie. He said, ‘I count 29 perfect moments in your film.'"