Matthew's Days

Matis (F. Pieczka) lives alone with his sister Olga (A. Milewska) in a small cabin in the remote wilderness of Northern Europe. Though an adult, Matis retains a childlike sensitivity and is easily troubled: dead birds, a broken boat, or a tree shattered by a storm all seem to him to be bad omens. Unable to sit idly by, he decides to become a ferryman, and one day he transports Jan, a woodcutter who soon moves into their home, across the lake. Witold Leszczyński’s film is a poetic, intimate tale of a man’s relationship with nature, solitude, and the subtle signs of fate. "The Life of Mateusz" features motifs characteristic of the director: the sacred tree, disturbed domestic peace, and figures with an almost magical sensitivity, themes that later reappear in his "Requiem," though in a completely different story and emotional context.