The first feature film by Dutch actress and filmmaker Tamar van den Dop, this dark fairy tale of a film incites us to notice issues that slumber just below the surface of our lives and that often emerge to haunt us: our self-perception, our concept of beauty and perfection, the projection of our innermost yearnings, the rejection of love for fear of hurting oneself or the other…

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More of the film from Jane Schoettle: Remarkably beautiful to look at and listen to, Blind is a fable come vividly to life. It also exerts a formidable pull on the heartstrings throughout all its plot twists, keeping viewers tightly pinned to their seats.

Ruben (Joren Seldeslachts) is a young man who, along with his mother and assorted household staff, inhabits a large estate in the country sometime in the late nineteenth century. Ruben cannot see, and he is also rapaciously bloody-minded, ruling the household through fierce tantrums and intimidation. This frustrating state of affairs comes to a head upon the arrival of Marie (Halina Reijn), a pale-as-snow, slightly odd-looking older woman who is just as strong-willed as Ruben. She refuses to become embroiled in his power struggles, as she has been hired to read to him and she loves books more than anything else.

It is the perfect job for Marie. Emotionally scarred by a childhood trauma, she believes herself to be grotesque, so a blind employer relieves her of self-consciousness. Ruben doesn’t love anyone or anything until Marie’s quiet insight into his soul provokes an affection for her stronger than anything he has ever felt before. In the bleak winter months, the two misunderstood outsiders find each other.

Into their unlikely idyll swoops a doctor who insists that Ruben’s eyesight can be restored through a new surgical procedure. Ruben wants the operation to be able to finally see his true love and the world around her, but Marie panics, convinced that Ruben will discover she is ugly and her only love will be destroyed. The remarkable and unexpected turns that follow are reminiscent of both O. Henry and Aesop.

Sound has a prominent place in Blind; the attention-grabbing aural barrage of the opening, for example, soon gives way to more melodic textures and temperatures. This auditory richness, combined with impeccable period production design by Hubert Pouille, makes the film a sensual as well as emotional experience. Confidently directed by first-time feature filmmaker Tamar van den Dop, with memorable performances by both Seldeslachts and Reijn, Blind exquisitely explores that age-old question: is true love really blind?

tMF is extremely excited about this new film, featuring one of Europe's youngest actors, Joren Seldeslachts.

[ Film Profile @ Bavaria Film International [ Joren Seldeslachts @ IMDb ]

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Comments (1)

This is one of the most beautiful movies I've ever seen

A year ago I watched "Blind" and it totally won my heart.
The actors are really good and the story is so fascinating and grabbing... This movie really worths watching!

Mima Nasteva , November 19, 2008

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