Filthy (Tereza Nvotova, 2017): Czech Republic-Slovakia

Reviewed by Savasia J. Vida at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, 2018.

Welcome to the adolescence of Lena, as her innocence and confidence are completely shattered when her math tutor rapes her within her own home. Dealing with this sensitive incident alone, it does not help that she already lives in a complicated household; her parents are more focused on her brother due to his special needs as her needs as a victim are overlooked and unexpressed. Tereza Nvotova shares this incredibly touchy story as a critique of rape culture worldwide — Lena’s experience serves as a realistic example of how complicated rape accusations can be that unfortunately make the victim feel more like the instigator.

Nvotova immediately shows us the complication for Lena in the first several scenes, as it positions the narrative to focus on how Lena copes with this haunting experience. We see the quick change of Lena’s attitude and mannerisms towards her family that leaves her mom with no choice but to send her to a mental facility for teens so her health can improve. However, the experiences and relationships Lena creates within the facility do nothing but agitate her vulnerability as she is burdened with more painful memories that highlights her ‘filth’ as a scarred individual.

As a coming of age film, Lena is continuously misunderstood through the people she meets and even by her close friend, Roza. It is up to her to overcome her haunted memories so she can enjoy the fruits of life rather than letting them rot. Having the narration dictated through Lena gives us an intimate sense of what it feels like to be a rape victim and how the trauma effects her well-being and actions every single day. The theme of this film is certainly a wake up call to understand how these victims feel in this devastating situation in a world that fails to see the impact rape culture towards those who are unable to speak up about their experience.


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