The animation takes us in a dreamy adventure across seasons in rural Poland, showing us customs, traditions, woman's condition, people's lives and struggles, love affairs and political dynamics. Main character, Jagna, is a very dreamy and creative young woman, starting to explore life and the world. She likes crafting, singing, she is also kind hearted. Unfortunately, 19 century Poland is a highly patriarchal society,in which women are expected to marry and build a household, have children and work the land. The love for land is one of the main themes of the film, uniting but also ruining families.
One of the opening scenes portratys village life at an important moment in time: after church service. People gather up in groups and gossip about village life. A group of women suggest Jagna that is time for her to find a man, portraying the main social norm at that time. Jagna says she is not interested yet in marriage, positioning herself as a free spirit woman since the begining.
Boryna, the main "gospodar" of the village, has a lot of land and wealth, he is a hard working man, severe, greedy and influent. By his relationship with his sons and daughters we get to see the dynamics in rural families, also a very important rule: land and wealth is inherited and people value their weight in owned land. Boryna's decision to marry Jagna arouses unrest in the gospodar's family, the decision making Jagna a heiress too. Jagna, being the free spirited archetype, is not keen in marrying Boryna, but her mother, who probably already experienced the hardships of life, forces her and even negotiates more land on Jagna's name. The marriage scene, and all the scenes that involved dancing, were my favourites. During the dance scenes people forgot all their hardships, overcome everydayness and almost escape reality, reaching mystical realm. We also get too see other customs and traditions: people harvesting fields, church services, feasts,holiday disguising. Also I loved the soundtrack, is "a compendium of Slavic music created by almost 100 musicians from Poland, Ukraine and Belarus".
Another key figure is Boryna's son, Antek, heir of Boryna's land, father of two, husband of Hanka, but in love with Jagna even before his father's marriage. Antek's life goes on a downspiral while he pursues this love, ending up failing his family, and failing both Hanka and Jagna multiple times.
People from the village form a collective character whos values are often questionable and whos mentality is highly traditional. All characters in the film end up failing Jagna, which leads to her tragic destiny.
10/10.
One of the opening scenes portratys village life at an important moment in time: after church service. People gather up in groups and gossip about village life. A group of women suggest Jagna that is time for her to find a man, portraying the main social norm at that time. Jagna says she is not interested yet in marriage, positioning herself as a free spirit woman since the begining.
Boryna, the main "gospodar" of the village, has a lot of land and wealth, he is a hard working man, severe, greedy and influent. By his relationship with his sons and daughters we get to see the dynamics in rural families, also a very important rule: land and wealth is inherited and people value their weight in owned land. Boryna's decision to marry Jagna arouses unrest in the gospodar's family, the decision making Jagna a heiress too. Jagna, being the free spirited archetype, is not keen in marrying Boryna, but her mother, who probably already experienced the hardships of life, forces her and even negotiates more land on Jagna's name. The marriage scene, and all the scenes that involved dancing, were my favourites. During the dance scenes people forgot all their hardships, overcome everydayness and almost escape reality, reaching mystical realm. We also get too see other customs and traditions: people harvesting fields, church services, feasts,holiday disguising. Also I loved the soundtrack, is "a compendium of Slavic music created by almost 100 musicians from Poland, Ukraine and Belarus".
Another key figure is Boryna's son, Antek, heir of Boryna's land, father of two, husband of Hanka, but in love with Jagna even before his father's marriage. Antek's life goes on a downspiral while he pursues this love, ending up failing his family, and failing both Hanka and Jagna multiple times.
People from the village form a collective character whos values are often questionable and whos mentality is highly traditional. All characters in the film end up failing Jagna, which leads to her tragic destiny.
10/10.