Every man IS a pig, and every woman too, in this adaptation of Wladyslaw Reymont's Nobel Prize-winning novel about life in a 19th Century village. A young woman, Jagna, digs for gold when she marries a wealthy and much older widower. When she continues seeing the man's son on the side, she gets in trouble with both father and son. Jagna tries to chart her own path. "I don't need help from men," she says "I've had enough of their help already."
This resplendent and heart rending live-action film was created with 40,000 frames of oil paintings. It features revamped Polish folk songs, compelling dialogue, and raucous, energetic dance sequences. The detailed artwork adds contrast, light, color, and emotion to the performances of the actors. It was tough for the actors who had to perform before green screens sometimes, but they persevered.
The husband-and-wife team of directors were present for the world premiere screening at the Toronto International Film Festival. DK dedicated the film to her father who supported her, and to "all the women who are making difficult choices and standing for who they are." The directors explored the use of artificial intelligence but thought it lacked human touch, sensibility, and the element of surprise. The composer who did an incredible job of adapting Polish folk music to fit the film's format, jokingly told the directors, "I spent more time with you than with my wife, so sorry if she doesn't talk to you anymore." The film took four years to make.
