The Peasants
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“There must be something more important in life”
Overview
Adapted from Władysław Reymont’s Nobel Prize–winning novel, The Peasants is a dark animated fable from the directors of the Oscar-nominated Loving Vincent. In rural 19th century Poland, the free-spirited young Jagna (Kamila Urzedowska) has many prospective suitors but refuses to be tied down, longing for an independent life that puts her at odds with the small-minded village folk. When her parents sell her into marriage with elderly local farmer Boryna (Miroslaw Baka), Jagna finds escape through creating art and falls into a passionate affair with her husband's married son Antek (Robert Gulaczyk). The lovers' transgression holds dangers for them both, but as jealousy and betrayals mount it is Jagna who will bear the brunt of the consequences.
Audience note: this film contains depictions of sexual assault
“A dynamic, immersive drama that brings the pleasures and pains of the past to ravishing life.”
“With its feel for both beauty and ugliness, the film transports us to this unfamiliar milieu with a richness rarely attempted in the cinema anymore.”
“The Peasants is a ravishingly beautiful visual triumph.”
Why You Should See This Film
The at times confronting subject matter of this tragic tale is taken to a place of heightened, almost abstract reality by its stunning animation. Created by a team of artists who contributed more than 40,000 oil paintings over live-action footage of actors, inspired by the work of Ferdynand Ruszczyc and Jozef Chelmonski (among others), immersing us completely in a beautiful, brutal world. Moments of transcendence amidst the horror are amplified by an incredible score, a reworking of traditional Polish folk songs provided by rapper/composer Lukasz “L.U.C.” Rostkowski. Despite drawing from a text written 120 years in the past, The Peasants explores themes of otherness, misogyny and sexual liberation that remain just as potent today.
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