Lillian

No money, no loved ones, no valid visa. Lillian’s American Dream couldn’t become true. “Go back to Russia. It’s the land of opportunity,” says unironically porn producer, who does not even want to hire her. Desperate, she hits the American roads and roadless tracks. From New York to Alaska, on foot, with a small backpack and all on her own. Just like her namesake, whose history from 100 years ago inspired the Austrian director. In Horvath’s take, provincial America becomes a misty country of sleepy, deserted towns and majestic nature which delights on the one hand, but on the other—is often devastating and incomprehensible. Just like Lillian herself who is enigmatic, hypnotizing, and difficult to label. The director skillfully builds underlying tension, manipulates expectations of the audiences, accustomed to the usual road movies. The burden of this journey, reminiscent e.g. of Bruno Dumont’s Twentynine Palms, rests on the shoulders of convincing debutante, a Polish artists and photographer Patrycja Planik. Produced by Ulrich Seidl, Lillian was well received at latest Cannes Film Festival.