Rietland

Reedland marked the first screening I attended at my very first Cannes Film Festival. This slow-burning thriller draws the viewer in with quiet intensity, unfolding into a deeply contemplative journey. Set against the stark yet mesmerizing landscape of the Dutch “Rietland,” the story is ignited by the discovery of a brutal, sexually motivated murder that disrupts the monotonous rhythm of reed farmer Johan’s life. Portrayed with quiet magnetism by the compelling Gerrit Knobbe, Johan is gripped by an ambiguous, almost displaced sense of guilt. We follow him as he wrestles with these emotions amid the routines of farm work and caring for his adolescent granddaughter. Long after the festival ended, the film’s imagery and subtle magical realist undertones continue to linger in my mind. I very much look forward to its official release, eager to experience it again on the big screen. (c) Bavo Nys