Regarding your last sentence... I don't know how you got *that* idea, but just to put your mind at ease: I'm European myself (half-French and half-English), and only one of what I'd class as my top 5 favourite films is in English.
Anyway, to answer your question... Obscurity is relative; one could argue that even in the world of French (as opposed to Polish) cinema, Kieslowski doesn't rate as a truly *major* figure in the general consciousness; in terms of the American-centred worldwide perspective of the IMDB and the vast majority of its visitors, he's a drop in the ocean. Despite being my personal favourite director of all time, Kieslowski is obscure by IMDB standards. A while ago, I posted in one of those "best directors ever!" type threads on the Directors board and suggested Kieslowski - only to be met with either complete baffled indifference, or posts asking "Who is that?" My point is that among actors, critics and even other directors Kieslowski is a major name, but among the IMDB public - which is in my experience heavily weighted in favour of being the American filmgoing public - he's a footnote. Pick up a book on European cinema, even on "Great Directors of European Cinema", I guarantee he'll barely rate a mention - even books on French cinema are obsessed with Renoir, Truffaut, Godard, Bresson... I speak from years of experience collecting any Kieslowski-related material I could get my hands on.
As for this film... I think the fact that this has languished unavailable for so long on DVD (or even video for the last five or so years) has, I think, seen it left behind a bit compared to other Kieslowski films, at a time when many stores' "world cinema" DVD departments are expanding beyond recognition, so hopefully this new version will right that wrong, but even so... if you compare this message board to other IMDB boards, discounting the queries about when the DVD is coming out and even with a recent limited European arthouse re-release, I think "yeah, this probably qualifies as obscure by these standards".
What a long reply. I do apologise!
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