Dir: Sven Bresser | Dutch thriller 105’
A gleaming landscape of golden corn sets us off on this tranquil Dutch psychological thriller that centres on the mysterious death of a girl in the middle of nowhere.
It’s Johan who discovers the body in remote rural farmland where he works as a reed cutter and lives alone nearby, occasionally taking care of his wilful young granddaughter Dana
And that’s probably why he feels a sense of guilt in the aftermath to the girl’s death and is keen to track down the killer despite warnings from the local police detective investigating the case
A sinister sense of joylessness and dislocation pervades this proudly patriotic and stalwart community in Brabant with its wide wonderful rainswept polders and flatness as far as the eye can see. And the gleaming corn comes to represent solid tradition and quality that is being eroded by wider concerns such as competition from the Chinese, and trouble at Brussels. The local farmers are under pressure to compete with their prices. But the quality of their corn far exceeds the foreign stuff and they stand firmly together against the pressure of change.
Gerrit Knobbe is terrific as the enigmatic Johan in this atmospheric and strangely surreal affair. His sinister stillness and searching gaze point to a deeply troubled character and despite his decency he exerts a powerful sense that something is wrong. And there are clear signs that someone or something is trying to undermine him and his livelihood when his prize horse is killed. Sadly the film leaves us guessing as to the outcome of the issues it raises but Reedland stands apart with its refreshing exploration of rural life in this part of of Holland. MeredithTaylor
SEMAINE DE LA CRITIQUE | Cannes Film Festival 2025 | 14 May 21