Heiners Filmseiten – The Welts (en)

The Welts (PrÄ™gi)

German title: Der Striemen
Francaise title: Les Raies
Spain title: Marcas
Greek title: Δύσκολες σχέσεις
Russian title: Рубцы
Original title: PrÄ™gi

Alternative titles:
Pregi / Streaks / Las ronchas / Dyskoles sheseis / Удары / Шрамы

Family drama – Poland
Production year: 2003
Movie length: 91 minutes

Director: Magdalena Piekorz
Writer: Wojciech Kuczok
Cinematograph: Marcin Koszałka
Music: Adrian Konarski

Movie description:

Following the death of his mother in ’80s Poland, 12-year-old Wojciech has become the main punching bag for his sadistic father. Administering beatings with his belt for the slightest provocation, Wojciech’s father occasionally tries to bond with the kid but soon snaps back to abusive habits. Apart form Wojciech’s friend, Bartek, no one does anything to help. Jump to present day, Wojciech is a furrow-browed journalist who spends most of his spare time spelunking alone. Just like his father, he has serious anger management issues. Fellow caver Tania feels inexplicably attracted to him but the love of a good woman may not be enough.

A psychological drama in the best Eastern European tradition, Magdalena Piekorz’s debut feature impressively handles existential and political themes.
Thirty-year-old Wojciech Winkler is an ambitious and self-reliant man. Seemingly he has found his place in an orderly life living alone. Wojciech prefers not to have a family as it poses no risk in mistakenly becoming the sadistic father he remembers from his childhood. Not until a love interest appears in his life is he forced to face his haunted childhood memories and consequently his life choices.
A rumination on the remnants of childhood angst and abuse, »The Welts« chronicles Wojciech from his youth to his maturation into a grown man haunted by his past. The Film is based on the very well received novel by Wojciech Kuczok (who adapted his own material).

Boy Actors