Silent Love (2023) Movie Drinking Game
Down a Shot: every time the aggressive dance coach/teacher at Milosz’s high school passes a sexist comment, resulting in a stink-eye from the latter.
By: Vidal D’costa (A Toast) –
This Polish documentary follows Aga, who applies for foster care of her only sibling Milosz post their mother’s death from cancer. It also sensitively depicts topics such as performativity, the stigma faced by same sex couples, and restrictive gender roles via the blossoming relationship between Milosz, his sister, and her female lover Maja, who steps in as a co-parent to Milosz when Aga occasionally struggles with his rebellious streaks.
A Toast
Silent Love is not only relegated to observations on Aga and Milosz’s home life, but also offers a glimpse of the toxic conservative mindset that prevails within public settings or institutions such as schools, churches, etc. Scenes that focus on shy high schooler Milosz facing scathing mockery from his teacher after failing to choose a female dance partner during rehearsals for a traditional dance routine at school or for acting ‘unmasculine’ particularly provide insight into the regressive practices and outdated language that has been normalised or that still rears its ugly head in society.
The conversations between the individuals featured in this documentary are educating and simultaneously effective in conveying the sense of fear, discomfort, or, later, a glimmer of hope that seeps in among the trio of Maja, Milosz, and Aga.
The documentary also features wholesome moments, such as the back and forths between Maja, who develops an endearing rapport with Milosz, thus bridging the generational gap between the duo through a shared experience of being treated as outcasts and exasperatedly resorting to performativity or ‘building a new identity’ for themselves in a bid to fit in instead.
Verdict
Filmmaker Marek Kozakiewicz does a commendable job in delivering a message of acceptance through his timely and memorable directorial debut and its organic conversations are probably its most eye-opening facet.
