A young woman defies tradition in a 19th century Polish village, sparking conflict with powerful men.
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From the creators of Loving Vincent, Jagna is a young woman determined to forge her own path within the confines of a late 19th century Polish village – a hotbed of gossip and on-going feuds, held together, rich and poor, by pride in their land, adherence to colorful traditions and deep-rooted patriarchy. When Jagna finds herself caught between the conflicting desires of the village's richest farmer, his eldest son, and other leading men of the community, her resistance puts her on a tragic collision course with the community around her. The Peasants is based on the Nobel Prize-winning novel of the same name.
"The Peasants is an animated film by the same directors of Loving Vincent, using the same innovative technique, which could be described as "oil-painted rotoscopy". Based on the Nobel Prize-winning novel The Peasants (1904) by Władysław Reymont, it's a tale of desire and revenge told in four episodes, one for each season of the year. The story, set in Poland at the turn of the 20th century, follows a young peasant woman who wreaks havoc by marrying an older, wealthy man, whose son also desires her, despite being married. It is a powerful and bleak, although conventional tale about violence and misogyny, somewhat overshadowed by its beautiful and prodigious visual execution."