Miami International Film Festival 2010

Urszula Antoniak’s feature debut is an engrossing account of a ferociously independent young Dutch woman’s involvement with a kind and mysterious older widower who lives in a remote part of Ireland. The pair’s mutual satisfaction with solitude breeds a mutual respect that slowly evolves into unconventional love, but events do not play out in a predictable way. The two make an uncommon arrangement – food in exchange for work – but there is one key caveat: no personal contact, no questions ever. They refuse to share any information about their past lives with each other, living instead in the present moment and building trust based on actions alone. Featuring internationally acknowledged actor Stephen Rea (The Crying Game, Ondine, Interview with the Vampire) and a stunning performance by Dutch newcomer Lotte Verbeek, the film garnered multiple awards at Locarno 2009, earning the Silver Leopard for Best First Feature and Best Actress for Verbeek.