Silent Land

The relationship of a couple vacationing along the Mediterranean coast is put at risk by a pool boy, but not in the expected way. A terrible accident occurs, the police investigate, fear replaces happiness, and the characters unravel. The couple faces a choice of becoming hardened and embittered by their misfortunes or rising above them somehow.

What you don't experience positively, said Joseph Campbell, you will experience negatively. While swimming and diving in the nearby sea, wandering in the silent forest, taking comfort in each other's bodies, contemplating their situation beneath the drifting clouds, and visiting the local village at night, the couple tries to find something positive.

Silent Land is a puzzle to unravel. With infrequent conversations and slowly shifting scenery, it is in no hurry to be solved. It is more of a character study than a thriller. Ambient sounds of waves and wind dominate, as the director maintains that music dictates emotion and she does not want that. The acting and scene editing lack sophistication and nuance, but the faults are not fatal. It is interesting to witness the couple trying to get things back on track.

World premiere seen at the Toronto international film festival. A feature debut for the Aga Woszczynska. It is not streaming anywhere yet.