BROKEN WINGS // A FILM REVIEW OF "THE PAINTED BIRD"

BY MATEO MORENO

Before THE PAINTED BIRD made its way to the US, there was already a lot of "talk" about it from the festival circuit. When it played at the Venice and Toronto Film Festival, there were audience walkouts and much was reported from the critics there regarding the horrible topics the film explores. But not everyone had negative experiences. Those who were moved by it loved it, were trapped in its hellish landscape and praised the film, praised its cinematography by Vladimír Smutny and praised the filmmaker himself. Now it makes its US premiere, without a moment of its almost 3-hour running time lost. And while I can't guarantee you won't walk out yourself, I can guarantee you'll have the same experience, I can say that if you take a chance on the film you'll find a stunning cinematic experience about the grotesque world of Nazi Germany.

Young Petr Kotlár portrays the central protagonist, who's name isn't given until late in the film, and his situation is dire immediately. He's running through woods from some frightening kids, who eventually knock him down, bloody his face and take the small dog he's holding, cover it in lighter fluid and burn it to death. This immediate horrifying sequence of events sets the stage for countless more horrors to befall upon the boy. His parents have left him in the care of an Aunt, who quickly passes away and burns inside her own home. From there, he goes from place to place, "guardian" to "guardian" and finds that it's best to trust no one, because no one treats him like a human. And as we find out why he's treated so terribly, it becomes all the more horrifying as the world we are encompassed in seems like a horrible dream but is truly a dream the boy cannot himself wake from.

To say the least, THE PAINTED BIRD will not be for everyone. There is a lot of horror inside this 3-hour trip into the depths of hell. There's the act of simply watching this poor boy suffer unjustly by those who claim to be "adults" is horrifying enough (at one point, he's buried up to his neck and crows peck at his bloodied face), but then the film also throws in some truly horrible murders, suicide, rape, animal cruelty and bestiality (the most offensive things are not actually seen, but having them off camera makes it just as terrible). Now you may see why some found it hard to watch any further. But to leave the film unwatched would do a disservice to the story Marhoul is telling, and the tragic and powerful tale of the boy, played with a quiet power by Petr Kotlár. It's fair to say that it'll possibly be the most difficult watch of the year, and the horrors seem to keep coming from inside this dark world. This is truly the horror of Nazi Germany and a poor young boy having the unfortunate luck to walk through it.

Shot on 35mm and on glorious Black and White by cinematographer Vladimír Smutny, the film explodes in front of your eyes, and it's quite a strange feeling to have the cinematography be utterly gorgeous, while the images we see are so horrible. It is simply stunning to look at and often sickening to digest. Several well-known faces show up throughout the boy's journey, making an indelible mark with their cameos. From Udo Kier's abusive and psychopathic husband to Stellan Skarsgård's & Barry Pepper's sympathetic soldiers, Harvey Keitel's kindly Priest and finally Julian Sands horrific monster, the boy must experience each of them, and takes a piece of them all, be it good or bad or, as it is often, very bad. THE PAINTED BIRD is as powerful as it is disturbing, and although I don't believe I dare to see this film again, it will be quite a long time until I will, or can, forget it.

GRADE: B+ 

BASED ON THE NOVEL BY Jerzy Kosinski SCREENPLAY AND DIRECTION BY Václav Marhoul STARRING Petr Kotlár, Udo Kier, Lech Dyblik, Jitka Cvancarová, Lech Dyblik, Stellan Skarsgård, Harvey Keitel, Julian Sands, Barry Pepper. Now showing in Virtual Cinemas everywhere.