Salt Lake
Directed and Written by Katarzyna Roslaniec
Katarzyna Roslaniec’s previous feature films, such as the Berlin Crystal Bear winning Baby Blues (2013), have dealt with the problems of Polish young people trying to balance the pleasures of a newly introduced European consumerism with adult responsibilities. In Salt Lake, her fourth feature, Roslaniec turns her attention to Polish seniors, also finding themselves unsatisfied in the new Poland.
The film’s title refers to the summer community’s nearby body of water but also symbolizes the bitterness in the region’s domestic life. The problem is not new, however, but routed in ages old sexism, as 64 year old Helena (Katarzyna Butowtt, giving a luminous performance) is controlled and belittled by her husband Pawel (Krzysztof Stilmaszyk). Helena’s female friends suggest an affair, setting in motion a plot that is universal as well as Polish.
Fortunately, Roslaniec treats this tale of marriage breakdown in a highly original and interesting way. Helena’s developing independence and the film’s examination of female empowerment continually surprise us. Her would be seducer, the self-obsessed Filip (Jacek Poniedzialek), provides a hilarious, and thoughtful, commentary on contemporary narcissism. Yet, ultimately, each of the characters, including Helena’s two women friends, is a complex individual with both admirable and unappealing qualities. .
Also included for critical examination, and fun, are New Age, occult and fairy tale elements as well as an intriguing score by contemporary Polish composer Cezary Ducnowski, featuring songs and music by famous Polish composers Stanislaw Moniuszko and Witold Lutoslawski and vocal performances by Agata Zubel that brilliantly comment on the action.
