Directed by Małgorzata Szumowska & Michał Englert, drama, comedy, 113 min, eng subtitles, 16+
Written by Małgorzata Szumowska & Michał Englert
With Alec Utgoff, Maja Ostaszewska, Agata Kulesza, Weronika Rosati, Andrzej Chyra
Zhenia, a mysterious young masseur coming from behind the Eastern border, enters the lives of the rich residents of a bland, walled-off community on the outskirts of a Polish city. Despite their wealth, the inhabitants of this seemingly isolated fairytale town emit an inner sadness, a kind of longing. Zhenia has a gift, his hands heal their wounds and his eyes seem to penetrate their souls. To them, his Russian accent sounds like a song from the past, a distant memory of their childhood when the world was a safer place. Zhenia changes their lives.
The latest offering by the award-winning Małgorzata Szumowska (co-directed by her long-time collaborator, Michal Englert), which premiered in the competition programme of the Venice film festival, takes a cinematographic look at the wealthier part of Polish society, with some doses of magic, nostalgia and humour. The overwhelming inner calm and self-reliance of Zhenia comes into stark contrast with the restless, stressed and lost people who seem to have everything, and questions the meaning of their existence.
Awards:
Venice IFF 2020 (Special mention)
Polish Film Awards 2021 (Best Cinematography)