Aga Woszczynska’s incisive debut skewers guilt, desire and class for a vain pair of holidaymakers
Polish director Aga Woszczynska’s methodical and incisive debut feature offers a painterly study of guilt, desire and class, rendered in sky blues, terracotta tiles and white-people nude fabrics. Through an account of a holiday on an Italian island that goes wrong for extremely blond Polish couple Anna and Adam (Agnieszka Zulewska and Dobromir Dymecki), the script explores the chasms of cultural disconnection that lie beneath the tourism-industry fantasy of free-moving people of EU nations gaily traversing the continent in search of jollies.
Anna and Adam arrive at the spacious, secluded villa they’ve hired and are miffed to find the pool they were looking forward to using is empty. They complain to the unctuous manager (Marcello Romolo) who makes excuses and negotiates with the couple to have it fixed as quickly as possible...
Polish director Aga Woszczynska’s methodical and incisive debut feature offers a painterly study of guilt, desire and class, rendered in sky blues, terracotta tiles and white-people nude fabrics. Through an account of a holiday on an Italian island that goes wrong for extremely blond Polish couple Anna and Adam (Agnieszka Zulewska and Dobromir Dymecki), the script explores the chasms of cultural disconnection that lie beneath the tourism-industry fantasy of free-moving people of EU nations gaily traversing the continent in search of jollies.
Anna and Adam arrive at the spacious, secluded villa they’ve hired and are miffed to find the pool they were looking forward to using is empty. They complain to the unctuous manager (Marcello Romolo) who makes excuses and negotiates with the couple to have it fixed as quickly as possible...
- 9/20/2022
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Guardian - Film News
London-based Modern Films has bought U.K.-Ireland rights for “Silent Land,” the feature debut of Polish filmmaker Aga Woszczyńska, which played in competition at the recently wrapped Zurich Film Festival. Variety has been given exclusive access to the film’s international trailer.
Set in Italy, the slow-burn drama follows a couple whose summer holiday goes terribly wrong when Rahim (Ibrahim Keshk), an illegal immigrant hired to fix the pool in the house they paid for, suddenly dies. Produced by Lava Films, Kino Produzioni and I/O Post, with world sales handled by New Europe Film Sales, the film had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival.
Speaking to Variety ahead of the Zurich fest, Woszczyńska described the refugee crisis at the heart of her film as a “present-day plague.” “I would like for ‘Silent Land’ to make people more socially sensitive and not just close themselves off in their homes,...
Set in Italy, the slow-burn drama follows a couple whose summer holiday goes terribly wrong when Rahim (Ibrahim Keshk), an illegal immigrant hired to fix the pool in the house they paid for, suddenly dies. Produced by Lava Films, Kino Produzioni and I/O Post, with world sales handled by New Europe Film Sales, the film had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival.
Speaking to Variety ahead of the Zurich fest, Woszczyńska described the refugee crisis at the heart of her film as a “present-day plague.” “I would like for ‘Silent Land’ to make people more socially sensitive and not just close themselves off in their homes,...
- 10/4/2021
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Polish filmmaker Aga Woszczyńska – together with co-writer Piotr Litwin – started to work on the script of her first feature film “Silent Land” in 2016, and notes that since then, her film – which centers on the world’s response to migrants – has sadly become even more timely.
Set in Italy, the slow-burning drama sees a couple whose summer holiday goes terribly wrong when Rahim (Ibrahim Keshk), an illegal immigrant hired to fix the pool in the house they paid for, suddenly dies. But Woszczyńska views her film as a humanistic rather than a political statement.
“I don’t want to blame just Italy, but the whole of Europe. The whole world, which stays silent,” she tells Variety.
“When Afghanistan desperately needs our help, we are closing our eyes and our borders – just like [my characters] Adam and Anna. What is currently happening, the whole situation on the Polish-Belarusian border, it’s something worse than barbarism,...
Set in Italy, the slow-burning drama sees a couple whose summer holiday goes terribly wrong when Rahim (Ibrahim Keshk), an illegal immigrant hired to fix the pool in the house they paid for, suddenly dies. But Woszczyńska views her film as a humanistic rather than a political statement.
“I don’t want to blame just Italy, but the whole of Europe. The whole world, which stays silent,” she tells Variety.
“When Afghanistan desperately needs our help, we are closing our eyes and our borders – just like [my characters] Adam and Anna. What is currently happening, the whole situation on the Polish-Belarusian border, it’s something worse than barbarism,...
- 9/22/2021
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
Desperate for respite from their bourgeois lives in Poland, Adam (Dobromir Dymecki) and Anna (Agnieszka Zulewska) decide to vacation on a tiny Italian island. They wanted a big house with a pool and scenic view to get the most alone time possible. While a genial local (Marcello Romolo’s Fabio) promised exactly that, the pool is found empty and in disarray. He offers a discount. They refuse. He offers a free dinner at his trattoria in town. They explain that food won’t fix anything. Only when Adam asks Fabio what the problem is—considering the damage looks like a two-day job at most—does he agree to hire someone to make things right. A jackhammer wakes Anna the next morning.
First-time feature director Agnieszka Woszczynska (who co-wrote with Piotr Litwin) ensures this couple’s entitlement is on full display from the start of Silent Land. Anna packs the fridge with alcohol.
First-time feature director Agnieszka Woszczynska (who co-wrote with Piotr Litwin) ensures this couple’s entitlement is on full display from the start of Silent Land. Anna packs the fridge with alcohol.
- 9/11/2021
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
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