A Quiet Man

If Romain Zaleski’s name doesn’t ring a bell, it may be because one of Europe’s most influential billionaires prefers not to boast about his achievements. Thus the title of Polish- French filmmaker Rafael Lewandowski’s portrait documentary is fittingly A Quiet Man. To be fair, he hardly needs to brag when so many others are willing to do it for him. Produced and co-written by Zaleski’s own daughter, this homage is an unashamedly flattering ode to the great businessman.

The man, the knight, the engineer. Zaleski began building his fortune by rescuing an Italian mining company from bankruptcy. His investments, followed by the launch of Alior Bank in Poland amid the financial crisis, turned him into a global player and made him the fourth- wealthiest person in France.

Lewandowski opts for the conventional format of talking heads to piece together his protagonist’s life journey. While this could convey just how beloved and warmly regarded Zaleski is, the interviewees’ superficial contributions feel randomly assembled and often lack genuine personal insight. It is also a brave decision to display their names without identifying who they actually are – not only does this leave their relationship to the subject unclear, but it also undermines the credibility of their words.

The talent, the philanthropist, the Samaritan. As his brother(?)/cousin(?)/friend(?) recalls, Zaleski was already playing banker at the age of five, looking after his friends’ pocket money. This persistence and foresight would eventually lead him to success. He does seem genuinely committed to putting his fortune to charitable use. But while his wife(?) admires his generosity in funding four kindergartens in impoverished South American communities in memory of two friends, such acts of charity also help sustain the very system that makes them necessary. Those who have the power to change society rarely seem willing to risk their positions, however well-intentioned they are.

The bridge champion, the art collector, the emperor. As his remarkable private collection is presented, Lewandowski frames close-ups of Zaleski between icons and statues of saints. Indeed, the interviewees seem to be taking part in Zaleski’s corporate canonisation.

The absolute admiration that defines the whole runtime threatens to justify every one of Zaleski’s decisions. As a result, red flags such as his idea that a man’s genes contain nothing but fighting and warfare, lose their weight. Yet despite this bias, one can still sense that he made some cold-blooded poker moves along the way. With Édith Piaf’s La Foule playing carelessly in the background, it is hard not to feel that he sees it all as a game.

The king, the myth, the legend. While his attempt to conquer Mont Blanc falls short, he does make it to the top of Europe. If A Quiet Man manages to uncover anything universal, it is how unbridgeable the gap between the upper class and the rest of society remains. It is up to the viewer to decide whether there is any need to propagandise such hierarchies in a world led by the Musks. (question mark).

Reviewed on: 16 Oct 2026