It takes courage to grow up and turn out to be who you truly are.
I can't think of any other platitude that better describes this amazing film by writer/director Marleen Gorris. The Motion Picture Academy felt as strongly as I do, as they awarded it an Oscar; a well-deserved Oscar, I might add.
It is about the progeny of Antonia (Willeke van Ammelrooy), a woman who returns to her village after WWII and begins life with her daughter Danielle (Els Dottermans). There is never any mention of a father. This is a feminist film in the purest sense. Men are not bashed, but there is a sense that they are not very useful, except for producing more daughters.
Danielle seeks a male to impregnate her and bears a child prodigy, Thérèse (Carolien Spoor, Esther Vriesendorp, and Veerle van Overloop), Thérèse becomes a pupil of the town intellectual Crooked Finger (Mil Seghers) and cannot find a man who can satisfy her intellectually and physically, so she settles for the physical and has a daughter of her own.
Men in this movie serve as seed bearers, or teachers, or comfort bearers, or, in one case, messengers of evil, as one manages to rape two women.
But the film is not just about feminism, it is also about acceptance. Antonia never hesitates to give comfort and shelter to anyone in need, whether it bee someone with an intellectual disability, the raped sister, the woman who loves having babies, or the priest who finds that celebrating life is better than celebrating death.
Her own daughter finds love in the arms of Thérèse's tutor, and this is not judged, only accepted as another part of life. Everyone seems to find love in Antonia's circle, and her real progeny is exceeded by those she touches with love and acceptance.
It is a beautiful story with a wealth of interesting characters. Gorris is an amazing writer and one can only be thrilled at her talent.
I can't think of any other platitude that better describes this amazing film by writer/director Marleen Gorris. The Motion Picture Academy felt as strongly as I do, as they awarded it an Oscar; a well-deserved Oscar, I might add.
It is about the progeny of Antonia (Willeke van Ammelrooy), a woman who returns to her village after WWII and begins life with her daughter Danielle (Els Dottermans). There is never any mention of a father. This is a feminist film in the purest sense. Men are not bashed, but there is a sense that they are not very useful, except for producing more daughters.
Danielle seeks a male to impregnate her and bears a child prodigy, Thérèse (Carolien Spoor, Esther Vriesendorp, and Veerle van Overloop), Thérèse becomes a pupil of the town intellectual Crooked Finger (Mil Seghers) and cannot find a man who can satisfy her intellectually and physically, so she settles for the physical and has a daughter of her own.
Men in this movie serve as seed bearers, or teachers, or comfort bearers, or, in one case, messengers of evil, as one manages to rape two women.
But the film is not just about feminism, it is also about acceptance. Antonia never hesitates to give comfort and shelter to anyone in need, whether it bee someone with an intellectual disability, the raped sister, the woman who loves having babies, or the priest who finds that celebrating life is better than celebrating death.
Her own daughter finds love in the arms of Thérèse's tutor, and this is not judged, only accepted as another part of life. Everyone seems to find love in Antonia's circle, and her real progeny is exceeded by those she touches with love and acceptance.
It is a beautiful story with a wealth of interesting characters. Gorris is an amazing writer and one can only be thrilled at her talent.