Set in Lipce at the turn of the century, The Peasants is based on the Nobel Prize-winning bestseller from Władysław Reymont. The film adapts the story of Jagna (Kamila Urzędowska) in four parts across one year. Each part of the film is set in a season and the film tells the story of how Jagna deals with the ramifications of being a beloved daughter of this particular village. It’s a harrowing story and the team behind this film decided to tell it in a timeless fashion, one they used in their previous film Loving Vincent.
The animation technique utilised had over a hundred animators across four studios paint over the scenes over the five-year production. It’s beautiful and the experience is thrilling.
The story of The Peasants is worryingly familiar. A young woman finds herself torn between two men. One she loves and the other she has a duty to be with and through their horrible machinations and mistreatment she is the only one who truly suffers. It’s an impressive story and seeing it through this painted lens is thoroughly captivating.
The ensemble cast that makes up the village is brilliant. They’re nuanced and brimming with character. They feel like real people that you would know in your own life. This means they bring with them all the good and the bad you’d expect. Many people have assumptions about Jagna because of her beauty and their own preconceived notions. It’s awful to watch her world just fall away from her from the expectations of those around her.
The score of The Peasants is also quite soothing. There is a melodic style to the score that gives it a serene ambience early in the film.
I keep coming back to my favourite aspect of the film, the animation. Every scene is gorgeous. There are several standout scenes, many of which involve dancing. Jagna dancing with Maciej is destructive dark and full of woe as it’s something Jagna is not happy with. You then compare this to her dance scene with Antek and it’s full of lust and heat and it’s fascinating to watch. There is a vibrance to all these scenes because of the animation style and I love it.
The Peasants is an incredible film. One of the best of the year in my opinion. If you have the opportunity to see it, I highly recommend you do. It’s a breath of fresh air and an unexpected treat.
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