Dirty God
In her English-language debut, Dutch director Sacha Polak (Hemel) follows a young mother recovering from an acid attack that has left her with severe facial burns. A powerful film about motherhood, courage and self-acceptance.
DIRTY GOD takes a hard look at the gross discrepancy that underlies society’s perception of external beauty versus internal worthiness. After a vicious acid attack leaves half her body covered in scars, Jade must come to terms with the new life ahead of her: a life in which her young daughter refers to her as a ‘monster’, co-workers and strangers hurl nasty slurs her way, and physical intimacy seems to be a thing of the past. As an antidote to her rocky home life, Jade revels in South London’s pulsing, rhythmic club scene, but still cannot escape the emotional trauma that accompanies her scars.
Polak’s camera moves tightly with Jade, capturing the quiet defiance and vulnerability of Vicky Knight’s performance. In her first film role, Knight beautifully lays bare what it means to be an outsider in one’s own skin, ready to break out at any moment. (source: www.sundance.org)