The Word, Obietnica, Poland-Denmark, 2014, 97 min.
Saturday, November 8, 8:30 pm
Director: Anna Kazejak
Screenwriters: Magnus von Horn, Anna Kazejak
Principal Cast: Eliza Rycembel, Mateusz Wieclawek, Magdalena Poplawska, Dawid Ogrodnik, Andrzej Chyra
The film, inspired by real events, is at its core a familiar tale of manipulated revenge, but given a fresh spin in that it is undertaken by teenagers who are driven by rather naïve passions and are seemingly unable to fully grasp the impact of their actions. In the midst of wild high school parties, a love drama takes place as Lila accuses her boyfriend Jack of cheating on her. The boy is to pay a very high price for the offense. The story of high school lovers is only an excuse for a more complex criticism of the contemporary world. The lack of a sense of responsibility, a tendency to set one’s own rules, and the liquidity of the system of "faults and penalties"- it all forms a tragic end to a seemingly innocent play. The Word is beautifully shot and darkly elegant, with Anna Kazejak delivering a performance worthy of both a coming-of-age drama and a crimethriller, but without the traditional clichés that normally define such films.
Following the screening: a question-and-answer session with Anna Kazejak