The Painted Bird

Synopsis

Based on the acclaimed Jerzy Kosiński novel, “The Painted Bird” is a meticulous 35mm black and white evocation of wild, primitive Eastern Europe at the bloody close of World War II. The film follows the journey of The Boy, entrusted by his persecuted parents to an elderly foster mother. The old woman soon dies and The Boy is on his own, wandering through the countryside, from village to village, farmhouse to farmhouse. As he struggles for survival, The Boy suffers through extraordinary brutality meted out by the ignorant, superstitious peasants and he witnesses the terrifying violence of the efficient, ruthless soldiers, both Russian and German. “Stellan Skarsgård, Harvey Keitel and Udo Kier star in this phantasmagorical horror about Eastern Europe that saw half the Venice audience walk out. I couldn’t look away.” (Xan Brooks, The Guardian)

Around The World in 14 Films 2019, presented by Frédéric Jaeger – in the presence of the director Václav Marhoul