OPEN CALLS: Green Film Lab - Budapest, TFL Co-Production Fund & TFL Next - Feature Film
Projects
Mizeria
A young woman and her older boyfriend defend their relationship and turf in the mountains of Poland.
30-year-old Lydia and 50-year-old Henryk arrive at their newly renovated chalet in the Polish mountains. Lydia, born and raised in Poland, has worked in hotels since high school, while Henryk has recently returned after starting a life and family in Canada. The next day, Henryk’s daughter Alice arrives in Poland. Henryk spontaneously assigns Alice with overseeing all interior design, which agitates Lydia considerably. Meanwhile, their neighbour Boris has turned off Henryk’s water with a valve on his property to derail the couple’s plans and keep away unwanted foreigners. In order to regain access, Boris proposes that Henryk pay a monthly stipend. Henryk conceals the truth from Lydia and Alice, determined to fix things himself. Alice discovers that Lydia is pregnant. The news brings them closer, yet leaves them feeling betrayed by Henryk. In the film’s climax, Lydia confronts her impending motherhood when Boris’ cow’s delivery goes awry, by pulling the newborn calf free in a moment of catharsis.
Mizeria is the name of a Polish cucumber salad but it also translates to misery. As a child, I never realized it; despite the name, it is one of the most refreshing and delightful sides you could eat. My vision for the film is also like that. It comes in a refreshing and unpretentious form, but under the sweet surface there is a layer that goes deeper and darker. As a Polish kid growing up in Canada, I always felt a bit in the middle; never fully Polish and never totally Canadian. This middleground has stayed with me and influenced Mizeria’s story. It is complicated to reconnect with your roots and the land your parents came from. Territory is a big theme, whether in regard to Henryk’s land squabbling with Boris, or Lydia’s tug-of-war with Alice for primacy over Henryk, each character is involved in a dark and funny game of turf warfare. Setting the story in Poland, where borders have been contested for centuries, elevates this theme and binds the characters to their historical context.
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