Popular reviews

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  Review by Josh Lewis ★★★

  There's a certain level of commitment to the righteous political anger that fuels its depiction of the migrant refugee crisis at the Polish-Belarusian border in as horrible, unsanitized a fashion as possible that is fully deserving of the admiration it's going to get. To the point where Agnieszka Holland has basically completely destroyed her relationship with her home country over it and has been compared to a Nazi propagandist by the Polish right-wing; they aren't wrong in the sense that this is a pretty effective, miserable message movie (they are just wrong about the message itself being a bad one!) and one of the more purely upsetting things I saw at TIFF this year. Showing Polish border patrol beating pregnant…

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  Review by Realkinoshit ★★★★½

  TGHFF2023 #7

  Leïla: What’s your name?
  Nur: Kylian Mbappé 🥷🐢

  You know a movie is good when there’s a Tarkovsky tribute scene 🔥

  Set between Belarus and Poland, this film delves into a geopolitical crisis where refugees from the Middle East and Africa aim to reach the European Union. The movie unfolds through multiple segments, primarily narrated from three distinct perspectives: a refugee family, border police, and humanitarian rescue teams. While many films touching on border issues focus on the perspective of the escapees, I appreciate how this one showcases different perspectives.

  I value its realistic portrayal of border issues while not neglecting the artistic aspect of filmmaking. The inclusion of excellent shots and well-crafted metaphors elevates the film, reminding…

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  Review by Dominik Piekarski ★★★★

  Spot wyborczy PO? Nie, spójrzcie sobie w jaki rasistowski sposób traktują uchodźców w obliczu zbliżających się wyborów.
  Antypolski? W przypadku tego filmu zdecydowanie wygrywają Ci dobrzy Polacy, którzy pomagają, więc to prawackie pierdolenie.
  Obraża polski mundur? Tak i bardzo dobrze, ale też nie, bo za mundurem stoją również dobrzy ludzie.
  Aktywizm? Jak najbardziej, ale co w tym złego, od tego jest każde medium, tym bardziej film.
  W obecnej sytuacji geopolitycznej zrobienie tego filmu było średnim pomysłem? Nie, cierpienie wszystkich ludzi na granicy zasługiwało na takie dzieło. Zasługiwało na zauważenie i jak widać w obecnych realiach było potrzebne, bo niektórzy ludzie są w stanie nazwać ten film najgorszym nawet go nie oglądając.
  Toporne? Nie powiedziałbym, bezpośredniość pomaga przy dosadności. Wydźwięk emocjonalny,…

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  Review by 𝚮𝖆𝖗𝖑𝖊𝖖𝖚𝖎𝖓𝖆𝖉𝖊 🎃🕯️👻 ★★★½ 2

  Empathy costs nothing.

  The Polish government's ABHORRENT campaign of hatred towards this movie will only make more people see it! 🐷💪🏻

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  Review by Matt Neglia ★★★★

  GREEN BORDER is an unflinching, distressing & powerful look at the European refugee crisis particularly between Poland & Belarus. Agnieszka Holland has crafted her best film since “Europa Europa.” It rightfully has people upset but more importantly it will hopefully get people talking. A vital & righteous piece of filmmaking with many heartbreaking performances & an unsubtle gut punch of a finale.

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  Review by CalvinLaw ★★★★½ 2

  2023 Ranking

  Agnieszka Holland’s hard-hitting critique on cruelty and collective inaction towards refugees alternates perspectives brilliantly with some brutally gutwrenching sequences. Essential viewing and one of the fest’s best. 

  My review for AwardsWatch: awardswatch.com/green-border-review-agnieszka-hollands-devastating-and-incisive-portrait-of-the-belarus-poland-refugee-crisis-venice/

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  Review by Paweł Szruba ½ 4

  Nie klei się tu nic. To nie film, to 2,5h spot wyborczy PO. Sthur krzyczący że rządzą polską naziści i faszyści to najzabawniejsza scena tego roku zaraz obok namedropu Ziobry. Temat ograny bez współczucia, subtelności i jakiegokolwiek wyczucia. Najbrzydsze wykorzystanie czerni i bieli od dawna. Koszmarna Ostaszewska. Zdziwię sie jeżeli zielona granica wyjedzie z Wenecji z niczym. To film wykalkulowany pod zachodniego odbiorcę.

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  Review by Robert (he/him) ★★★★½ 2

  No one should want to watch this, but every European should.

  Holland brutally exposes the inhumane, but lets compassion prevail. Despite the heaviness of the film there’s some humor too. The four different perspectives make for a layered portrayal of the conflict. The opening shot, the only one in color, is a symbolically powerful one. The quality of the performances is a bit mixed, but more leaning towards good. The epilogue reflects on the difference in reception of Ukrainian refugees, compared to the human beings knocking on the EU’s doors a year prior. High praise for Holland for calling out the hypocrisy. Graphic and excessive in its depiction of violence for sure, but unfortunately it does serve a purpose, unlike much of the pointless violence shown at the festival. Should have been this year’s Golden Lion.

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  Review by Öykü Sofuoğlu ★★½ 4

  How to depict Muslim people for white directors:
  - make them pray on their prayer rug in every occassion possible - even when running from border police
  - make them say allah every two seconds
  - always bring up the halal / haram food problem 
  - repeat

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  Review by James ★★★★½ 8

  "I'd tell you to enjoy the movie, but that would be inappropriate," director Agnieszka Holland dryly warned us before the U.S. premiere of her deeply disturbing but immensely humane feature film about the "green border" of thick forests and treacherous swamps between Belarus and Poland where refugees from the Middle East and Africa, seeking safety and asylum within the European Union, have been trapped in a hellish limbo, cruelly and cynically punted back and forth by both countries like political footballs since late 2021.

  Can't say she didn't warn us. This is an immersive, harrowing, nauseatingly brutal gut-punch of a film that reminds me what a rousing call to righteous anger and catalyst for political change the medium of film…

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  Review by Marianna Neal ★★★★

  CIFF 2023: Film #1

  Starting my 59th Chicago International Film Festival journey with a gut punch from Agnieszka Holland. Green Border is an unforgettable and horrifying look at the refugee crisis in Europe. Set on the border Belarus and Poland, and shot is striking black and white, the film shows the situation from three different perspectives: a refuge family, a border guard, and a group of activists. At 2 and a half hours, its an emotional and psychological challenge to get though, but so important to watch and understand. Agnieszka Holland shows it all, from pure evil and tragedy to hope and humanity.

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  Review by Groot Hunter

  Bez oceny.
  Bo nie wiem jak ocenić film średni, nie umiejący w subtelność, ewidentnie za długi. A z drugiej strony film, który rozłożył mnie na kawałki. Film po którym wstydziłem się pokazać ludziom bo cały byłem zapłakany. Holland się udało, bo poczułem wartość życia drugiego człowieka. Nawet jeśli w nie za koniecznie dobrym filmie.