By Dan Skip Allen 

Foreign films can be a bit of a mixed bag because of the lost in translation aspect of them for American audiences. “Reedland” is a Dutch film from first-time writer/director Sven Bresser. He was primarily a short film director known for his widely successful short film L’ete et tout le reste. This is a unique story to this part of the world and specifically the Netherlands. This movie is garnering awards buzz, and it was the official choice for the Best International Feature awards for the Oscars later this year. 

Johan (Gerrit Knobbe), who is a grandfather and farmer. He likes to spend his time with his granddaughter, but mainly, he spends most of his time in the reeds as they say. One day, while out working in the reeds, he finds the body of a young girl. He feels a sense of guilt because of what happened to this girl and where she was found. On his land. An investigation started to figure out what happened to this girl. The problem is that he is impatient and starts to investigate what happened himself. To his detriment. This determined man starts to find clues and goes down a path he can’t go back from. 

One of the best parts of this story is that it’s a slow burn. It’s not some face- paced action movie. It takes its time to get into the story. The film lets the viewer get to know this man, his family, and the world he lives in. Which isn’t a world we the audience are that familiar with. We learn he has a horse and loves that animal. He also has another teenage granddaughter who acts like girls her age act. Selfish and all about themselves. As the matriarch of this family, we see how important they are to him. As well as his farm. The quiet moments are the most impactful in the film.

Another one of the best technical aspects of the movie is the cinematography by Sam du Pon. He is also from the Netherlands, like the writer/director Bresser. So there is a connection there. His cinematography is breathtakingly beautiful. The shots of the reeds watching the wind blow them back and forth is very soothing and beautiful. Most of the time, he keeps the camera far away, and the shots are from a distance, but every once in a while, there are close-ups of the main star of the film. We see the struggle in his eyes and on his face. That gives the viewer a look at who this man is. This world as a whole is a beautiful one to look at on film, and that’s like a character in the movie.

A lot of the time in murder mysteries or investigative stories like this one, you get to see the killer at the beginning of the film. This one alludes to who the murderer could be, but we, the audience, don’t know for sure. The villain is that these kinds of films are bigger than life. With a small indie movie like this, one is more about the little moments in the story. You have to pay attention as the clues come from nowhere. Little things happen, and if you’re not watching closely, you will miss them. The clues to who is the culprit are right there in every scene. You, the viewer, just have to look for them.

“Reedland” isn’t going to be the kind of movie most people are looking for. If you like a small indie foreign film with a good story, then this might be the one for you. The main actor Knobbe is compelling to watch throughout the story. You see the pain on his face throughout the film. With that, though, is the juxtaposition of the beautiful cinematography. The slower moments and the scenes of the reeds blowing back and forth in the wind are nice. It’s always a good thing to see how filmmakers and writers from other countries make films. It’s nice to see different styles from the ones we’ve all become accustomed to. This is a prime example of something different and interesting. 

3 ½ stars