Your Name Is Justine - Film Review

Celebrated by numerous international film festivals, Franco De Pena's excursion into Polish cinema none the less is barely known to English speaking movie goers, a real shame because Your Name is Justine (Masz Na Imie Justine) is a real gem.
The film centres on the harrowing journey faced by the young and idealistic Mariola (Anna Cieslak, in her film debut), who despite having just landed a job at an abbatoir, decides to throw caution to the wind and embark on a European trip with new boyfriend Artur (Rafal Mackowiak), leaving behind her grandmother and friends.

The pair only get as far as Berlin, at which point Artur turns her over to a prostitution ring run by German businessman Gunter (Mathieu Carriere). After a night of being violated by Gunter and his men, she is imprisoned in a decrepit old apartment, the only occupant of an abanonded building, with doors firmly locked and windows bricked up. She is forced upon a new career path as a sex worker, under the name 'Justine'. Following a botched attempt to fight back against her captors, Gunter offloads Mariola on his lackie Niko (Arno Frisch). The deal is simple. Mariola must work for Niko until she has earned him enough money to warrant her freedom, and her cooperation will ensure her grandmother is not hurt by the group.

As you would expect judging by the subject material, Your Name is Justine is at times very difficult to watch, in particular due to the very genuine scenario that unfolds in such sudden, unexpected nature. The traumatic first night, and Mariola's near constant solitary confinement, resorting to eating mould ridden bread and with barely any clothing to keep her warm, are akin to torture, and the contrast in light and colour from her hopeful origins to her hopeless plight are genuinely affecting. But importantly, De Pena does not resort to cheap caricatures and cliched stereotypes to get the story across, instead focussing on the sense of injustice and slow character change in Mariola as her suffering mutates her warm, glowing persona.

In this, Anna Cieslak is a revelation, an unsettlingly natural and believeable performance and completely unreserved in it's emotion expression. Her transition over the ninety minutes is truly the horror of the film, as she morphs from completely vulnerable to spiteful and cunning, using what little power she has to get one over on her owners. It truly is a remarkable debut, and as a sidenote it's impressive to see a novice actress manage to bring such feeling to every word when over the course of the film she delivers lines in Polish, German and English.

Arno Frisch, known for his spine chilling role in the original Funny Games, is also excellent and highly composed in his role, the conflicted and fluctuating Niko, a man who though not evil or bad by person is playing in an evil game. Matthieu Carrriere and, in a small cameo role, Dominique Pinon are also effective with subtle characterisations, while Rafal Mackowiak manages to convince both as the charming boyfriend and detestable professional scout.

A well thought out story and authentic script which aims for character study instead of a morality tale, and excellent direction from De Pena build a good framework for the film, shying away from making a point which doesn't need to be made. There is also some fascinating use of imagery and symbolism (the opening shot of pigs in a abbatoir is hugely effective in this sense), while at times the camera work is beautiful, picking all the right moments and all the right places to zoom in on. An effective score, relying on a repeated, homely piece representing all that Mariola has lost, underpins the need for the nightmare to cease.

Lost within the low profile standing of Polish cinema, Your Name is Justine is a superior and highly poignant film which blasts similar Hollywood fare out of the water. Although it is short in running time, which is both a blessing and a shame for differing reasons, the emotional journey is conveyed fully and superbly. At times tough watching, but worth every moment none the less, even if for nothing more than Anna Cieslak.

8/10