No. 70. (2020) THE IRON BRIDGE (Zelazny most) Polish Film Festival (Perth W.A.) November 6th.

 

Film No. 70 (2020)  November 6th.  6:45 PM.  Cinema 1  LUNA Leederville.

"Does it matter how you die? One moment, and it's over!".(Oskar utters these profound words under the influence of strong drink in response to wife Magda's more reflective view on death).

A dark drama from Poland; so dark it takes us on an emotional roller-coaster where you're pleased that the nightmare unfolding is not one you are living.

Director/writer Monika Jordan-Mlodzianowska takes us underground into a Polish coal mine where the emotional drama unfolding on the surface between lovers Magda (Julia Kijowska) and Kacper (Bartlomiej Topa) is nothing compared to what her husband, and his best friend, Oskar (Lukasz Simlat), is enduring 300 feet beneath the surface.

The opening scene takes us halfway into the drama. A scantly clad Magda opens the door of her and Oskar's apartment, to her lover, but Kacper has company, a mining executive and they have bad news. Rewind to the story behind the love triangle and soon you'll understand why Oskar has been truly duped. We rejoin the opening scene mid film and Jordan-Mlodzianowski has brilliantly set us up for a most powerful conclusion. I do not use the term, powerful, lightly here.

Kacper controls Oskar's underground shifts. Does Magda know where her true emotional loyalties rest, or does it take a crisis of the worst kind to reveal this? Has Kacper weighed up what real friendship is? Especially when he takes advantage of his position of authority. And, what is the price each will pay? Feel good this is not. A brilliantly perceived social drama it is. 10GUMS.