Antonia's Line (1995)

November 11, 2022 6:08 AM

[TRAILER] After World War II, Antonia (Willeke van Ammelrooy) and her daughter, Danielle (Els Dottermans), go back to their Dutch hometown, where Antonia's late mother has bestowed a small farm upon her. There, Antonia settles down and joins a tightly-knit but unusual community. Those around her include quirky friend Crooked Finger (Mil Seghers), would-be suitor Bas (Jan Decleir) and, eventually for Antonia, a granddaughter and great-granddaughter who help create a strong family of empowered women.

A Dutch/Belgian film, in Dutch. Written and directed by Marleen Gorris.

69% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

Currently streaming in the US on Hoopla, Kanopy, and Pluto. Also available for digital rental. Also currently free on Internet Archive. Justwatch listing.

Presented as part of elkevelvet's sponsored theme day, in which I'll be posting six Dutch movies. Donate $20 to MeFi and I'll post six movies on the theme of your choice, too!

posted by DirtyOldTown (5 comments total)

This one was a request by elkevelvet themselves. I've never actually seen it, but it goes on the list!
posted by DirtyOldTown at 6:11 AM on November 11, 2022

I saw it long ago and really enjoyed it. Watching the trailer just now reminded me of something that puzzled me in the movie: the basket in the crook of the arm and flinging of seeds over the furrowed ground in the garden. Does that method of planting actually work? Or is it dramatic license based on bucolic paintings of farm life.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 12:50 PM on November 11, 2022

. . . flinging of seeds over the furrowed ground
I saw exactly this form of "broadcast" seed sowing in Northern Portugal in 1989. When the sower emptied his bag, he flung his hat on the ground to mark where he was and replenished the bag from a too-big-to-carry sack at the side of the field.
posted by BobTheScientist at 7:13 AM on November 12, 2022 [1 favorite]

I saw this decades ago and thought it was just a lovely, wonderful film.
posted by johnofjack at 9:49 AM on November 12, 2022

"Antonia's Line" is available to stream via Internet Archive.. not a great copy, but serviceable. I understand there's a re-issued copy with improved picture quality? Here you go: https://archive.org/details/AntoniasLineAntonia1995
posted by elkevelvet at 7:10 AM on November 14, 2022