Oleg

I liked this movie a lot. Gritty realism, strong performances, almost unbearable situations, the close camera allows you to feel the anguish and desperation of this poor guy. I was going to give it an 8 but the ending disappointed me a tiny bit.

I saw it as a religious film. Not only for the end but for fine, wise reflection of vulnerability, fears and courage. For a sort of special poetry. And for the inspired performance of Valentin Novopolskij. A film reflecting the West from the perspectives of East people . Good portraits of characters, wise use of symbols and a precise message. A film about illusions and fears. A real good one and, maybe, useful for its bitterness and eye of hope.

Oleg, a young man from Latvia, travels to Brussels in search of a better life, however, a series of misfortunes causes him to fall into the hands of an unscrupulous criminal.

Although the pertinent and very current message, Oleg fails in some certain points, and because of that, the film can't reach the high level, so to speak, lacking the reflective and emotional tone, but still, the film leaves interesting notes along the way.

The narrative focus on a story that is not new, of someone looking for something more in life, especially at the financial level, subjecting himself to exploitation and abuse.

It's the point of view from the citizens of the East Europe, and how the most advanced European countries treat "outsiders", and how acceptance and integration are mere illusions for them.

The cinematography adopts a style similar to a documentary, with very closed shots, giving a feeling of claustrophobia and constant pursuit, which works well.

A good tale on a good Latvian man as an allegorical sacrificial lamb, where he survives a no-win situation. This tale is juxtaposed on the contemporary Brexit/EU concerns and the lack of jobs throughout Europe. A film that pats Interpol on its back. A debut film worthy of its major wins at Brussels, Latvian, CinEast, Palic and Valletta film festivals.

Through Oleg's experience the film portraits the vulnerable situation of most migrants. As it develops, and the boundaries between legal and unlegal get blurrier, we drown with Oleg in its desperate and helpless situation. This is achieved through a great and very accurate character's construction (as well as their performances). The symbolic narrative of the lamb is very well displayed, especially considering its centrality in Ghent's identity.