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DIRTY GOD selected for Sundance Competition 2019

Dirty God, the latest feature by Dutch auteur Sacha Polak, will celebrate its international premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. It is the first time a feature film from the Netherlands is selected for the prestigious World Cinema Dramatic Competition.

Dirty God is Sacha Polak’s third feature, after the critically acclaimed and award-winning Hemel and Zurich, and is her first English language film. Polak co-wrote the script with Susanne Farrell. The film is produced by Marleen Slot of Amsterdam-based Viking Film. Dirty God is an international co-production with EMU Films (UK), A Private View (BE) and Savage Productions (IE). The film is supported by, among others, the Netherlands Film Fund, the Netherlands Production Incentive, British Film Institute and BBC Films. Independent Film is handling sales.

Sacha Polak’s previous feature films Hemel and Zurich both world-premiered in Berlinale Forum and won multiple awards. Hemel received, among other prizes, the FIPRESCI Award at Berlin while Zurich won CICAE Art Cinema Award for Best Film.

Dirty God tells the story of Jade (Vicky Knight), a young mother who is in the prime of her life when an acid attack leaves her severely burned. While her face has been reconstructed, her beauty is lost beneath the scars. Distanced from her daughter, Jade finds solace in the hidden world of online liaisons where she uncovers the passion and connection she's craved. But when her life is turned upside down once more, those around can do little to halt her descent. As her family life and friendships start to crumble, Jade takes drastic action, finally finding the path back to her daughter and herself. Dirty God is a powerful film about motherhood, courage and self-acceptance set in present day London.

Sacha Polak comments: “Dirty God is a film about a young mother who lost herself in a terrible accident, but who eventually in the search of her identity learns to accept herself. An incredibly strong woman. What sticks in my mind is that all the women I’ve met who have been burned were forced to find a way to come to terms with their new appearance. Whichever path they chose and however they did or did not manage, it was their path. What is universal about it, is that for each and every one of us it is challenging to be confronted with feelings of external beauty versus internal dignity. A challenge for every woman in the world.”

The 2019 Sundance Film Festival takes place from 24 January - 3 February.

(source: Eye International)