“The Peasants”, interview with director Hugh Welchman

At the 24FRAME Future Film Festival, “The Peasants”, directed by Hugh Welchman and Dorota Kobiela Welchman, opened the competition, immersing viewers in the life of a Polish village in the late 19th century. This visually captivating film follows Jagna, a young woman who defies the restrictive norms of her community, with her beauty and independent spirit sparking jealousy and conflict.

The Inspiration Behind Adapting The Peasants

When asked about the inspiration for adapting the Nobel Prize-winning novel, Hugh Welchman explained that his wife and co-director Dorota Kobiela had read “The Peasants” as a teenager. Later, while painting for “Loving Vincent”, she revisited the story, finding that “the language was like someone describing a painting to you,” Welchman recalled. This poetic imagery inspired them to create a fully oil-painted animation, the second of its kind after Loving Vincent.

Crafting an Oil-Painted Masterpiece

Creating an oil-painted film is a labour-intensive process, as Welchman explained: “The average frame on “Loving Vincent” took two and a half hours; for The Peasants, it took five.” With a narrative that includes dance scenes, battles, and large village gatherings, the film required intricate, painstaking work. Welchman also highlighted the connection to the 19th-century realism movement: “The realism style was more difficult than the thick, impasto brush strokes of Van Gogh’s style,” but it perfectly captured the rural, pastoral setting.

Reflecting Social Issues and Timeless Themes

“The Peasants” addresses contemporary societal themes, like the societal pressure on women to conform. Hugh Welchman remarked, “There’s a timelessness in how societies often scapegoat those who don’t conform, and unfortunately, this is often women.” The film explores this dynamic through Jagna’s struggles, highlighting that while decades may have passed, the issues of patriarchal oppression and violence against women persist.

Nature as Both Setting and Symbol

Nature, represented through changing seasons, plays a dual role in“The Peasants”as both a backdrop and a place of refuge for Jagna. “The cyclical nature of life is ever-present…while human dramas unfold, the seasons keep turning,” Welchman observed. Nature offers Jagna moments of respite from the village’s scrutiny and control, reflecting her deep-seated yearning for freedom. In Welchman’s words, “She naturally feels that society should be different from how it is…and nature becomes her escape.”

A Stunning Cinematic Experience

The intricate oil-painted visuals and nuanced storytelling make The Peasants an unforgettable cinematic experience. As Welchman said, “The Peasants” captures “all of the human emotions in one story—love, passion, jealousy, and conflict,” presenting a poignant reflection on human resilience and the cyclical nature of life.

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