Struggle

Co-written by Barbara Albert, director of Free Radicals, this paints a likewise unsentimental portrait of contemporary life as it charts the progress of a young Polish woman who emigrates to Austria illegally in hope of finding a better life. The film is in formal terms uncommonly rigorous. We are made to feel the repetitiveness of the work the protagonist is obliged to do through the repetition and duration of certain scenes. It's not the most audience-friendly strategy, but it does work. One wonders about the wisdom of some of the kinky sex scenes, which might have strayed in from a Seidl movie. But, stick it out: it's probably worth it.