Dzikie róze

28th STOCKHOLM INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL. DAY 2, NOV 9th 2017. International premiere at the festival on Nov 8th.

‪A beautiful, tragic, slow-burning, gripping, well-acted, well-written, well-directed drama about guilt, hereditary sin and relational struggles.‬

‪The sixth feature film by Polish writer-director Anna Jadowska, "Wild Roses" (2017) features a very strong performance by actress Marta Nieradkiewicz. The themes of adultery, out-of-marriage pregnancy and relationships under pressure are impressively handled.‬

I am not sure what to make of this extremely well made Polish film. In the previous reviews the plot has been given away so I will concentrate more on the cinematic and dramatic aspects, and say in passing that I was appalled by the conservative lives portrayed by most of the characters and the repressions that enforce them. A beautiful young woman ( excellently acted ) has a secret that she must keep from her hard working husband and those around her. Throughout the secret is held back from the audience, but the other secret of having an affair with a handsome youth ( again well played ) is not. The catalyst comes when she is about to give in to the youth's desires that one of her two children disappears. The hunt through a forest of tall trees and a foreboding atmosphere was the highlight of the film. It evoked two feelings; one of genuine concern and the memories of many other films where the hunt is to track down something evil and sinful. Sin is heavy in the scenario, and a child throws down a religious book in a religious ceremony as she was expecting a computer. Very sinful indeed, but my heart lifted at her ' innocent ' rebellion. But what were the director's thoughts as she filmed this scene ? Anna Jadowska is a fine director but I left the film puzzled as to the scenario's real intentions. Available to be seen with English subtitles on YouTube it is worth seeing and debating afterwards.