18/09/2026
*A Film That Speaks of Freedom*
Written by
Vijayan Manapallil
Yesterday, through the combined effort of MFS and Changampuzha Grandhasala, we were fortunate to watch Robert Bresson’s 'A Man Escaped', a film made nearly seventy years ago, yet one that speaks with remarkable relevance about the unchanging qualities of the human spirit.
The film tells the story of Fontaine, a prisoner in a N**i jail, and his painstaking attempt to escape. Before the screening, MFS President Sri P. Krishnan gave an insightful introduction, even suggesting that 'A POF Escape' might have been a more appropriate title. His observations helped us appreciate the film more deeply.
Fontaine’s escape is not merely an escape from prison, it is an escape towards freedom.Though physically imprisoned, he refuses to surrender his capacity to choose. Sharpening a spoon, loosening the wooden joints of the door, making rope from his belongings, observing the prison routine, deciding whom to trust,each small act becomes an assertion of human agency.
Bresson beautifully contrasts Fontaine’s patient, disciplined approach with Orsini’s impulsive attempt to escape, which ends in tragedy. Fontaine’s freedom is therefore not reckless rebellion but freedom guided by patience, self-control and responsibility.
For me, one of the most moving moments comes when Fontaine finally reaches the rope leading beyond the prison walls, only to hesitate. He has come so close to freedom, yet freedom itself suddenly becomes frightening. It is a deeply human moment.
The arrival of Jost adds another dimension to the film. Fontaine initially suspects him, but gradually learns to trust him. His escape becomes possible not through individual effort alone, but through cooperation, trust and solidarity. In this sense, the film also resonates with the idea that genuine freedom is not simply freedom from restraints, but the capacity for love, trust, responsibility and meaningful human relationships.
Bresson, however, takes the idea even further. Through silence, patience, grace and spiritual discipline, he explores the mysterious strength of the human will. Even under the shadow of death, the desire for freedom survives.
After the screening, I asked Sri P. Krishnan about the central message of the film. He said that, even in the face of fear and the possibility of death, the decision to strive for ultimate freedom must remain a supreme priority in human life.
I left Changampuzha Grandhasala with a deep sense of satisfaction. Some films entertain us, some make us think. And a rare few remain silently within us long after the screen goes dark. 'A Man Escaped' was one such experience for me.
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