Publisher: CinemaSerf April 1, 2023
Dawid Ogrodnik is "Daniel" (The English language title of this film). He is an openly gay lad living in his Catholic community that is trying to keep it's head above water in the face of increased mechanisation and government interference in the farming techniques that have served them well for generations. Now he is a bit of a force of nature, and though accepted - even admired - by his peers - it's not always on the most sincere of terms. When tragedy strikes his friend "Jagoda" (Agnata Labno) it appears that much of this tolerance may only only have been skin deep, and "Daniel" must deal with the consequences, especially when he wishes to deliver a "way of the cross" tribute to his friend that flies in the face of much of the traditional beliefs of his neighbours. This is quite a well strung together look at just how gay rights and freedoms sometimes complement and sometimes contradict the more traditional and deep-rooted values held in rural communities and is especially poignant to look at now, as Poland continues to wrestle with it's own approach to civil and sexual liberties whilst reconciling the values of a church (and a congregation) that is less willing to move with the times. We know from the start that "Daniel" is not the only gay in the village - and we are not the only ones who know. This is as much about people finding the confidence to follow their hearts as it is about religious intolerance, and as a short and punchy drama delivers quite well on that front. Sadly, it's that brevity that leads to simplicity and stereotyping in a way that rather undermined the core impact of the story for me. There is not really time to develop the characters nor to understand more about what created the scenario around the tragedy in the first place. That said, it's still a film worth watching and one that demonstrates that free thought and expression are still alive and well in a country that still has it's own demons to face, even now.