Shameless [2012]

In his debut feature film itself Polish filmmaker Filip Marczewski decided to go for broke, as the film is centered on a highly controversial topic. The fact that he didn’t just show such dare, but also managed to come out reasonably unscathed, does make him a filmmaker to look out for. Tadek (Mateusz Kosciukiewicz), a young high school/college student, takes the impulsive decision of crashing at the house of his elder sister Anka (Agnieszka Grochowska) for an announced vacation. This throws Anka’s delicately held life into a mini-chaos – she’s dating a sleazy politician who might just be using her as a trophy girlfriend, she’s financially broke and is completely confused with her life, and she’s aware that his kid brother’s love for her extends well beyond the socially accepted norms. Meanwhile, Tadek meets a young gipsy girl who feels he is the last straw for her to break out of her rigid and conservative community; unfortunately for her, Tadek’s attention is elsewhere altogether during this particular vacation. The simmering and complex relationship between the two siblings has been portrayed with care, sensitivity, maturity and in a completely non-exploitative way by the filmmaker. Agnieszka was quite brilliant as the strikingly beautiful but emotionally vulnerable elder sister – she managed to portray sensuality, vivaciousness, fragility, and a deep sense of loneliness and craving for love, through her wonderfully matured performance. Mateusz was also good as the young love-struck brother. It would have been better, however, had the director kept the focus completely on them, instead of including a number of plot diversions which felt tad unnecessary.

p.s. Watched this as part of 2012 Kolkata International Film Festival (KFF)

Director: Filip Marczewski
Genre: Drama/Psychological Drama/Social Drama
Language: Polish
Country: Poland