Antonia's Line

Plot

A strong-willed Dutch woman recalls her life in this uplifting picture that won the 1996 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Antonia (Willeke van Ammelrooy) is an elderly woman who wakes up one morning and realizes that this is the last day of her life. She begins to tell her story in flashback, beginning with her arrival home to the family farm after World War II with her daughter, Danielle (Els Dottermans). For the next fifty years, a variety of colorful characters come and go on the farm. Danielle becomes a painter, and decides she wants a child but no husband, so Antonia arranges the proper donation. Danielle giving birth to Therese (Veerle van Overloop), who laters has her own child, Sarah (Thyrza Ravesteijn), also without virtue of a husband. Antonia and her descendants come to symbolize the freedom of independent females, with little need for men in their lives. ~ Don Kaye, Rovi

Review

A lively, robust look at 50 years in the life of a remarkable Dutch woman, Antonia's Line is equal parts laid-back comedy and perceptive social commentary. The film is built on character development, thanks to the strengths of director Marleen Gorris and her actors, particularly Willeke van Ammelrooy as Antonia. van Ammelrooy is quite convincing as she ages from 30 to 85, and even more convincing is Gorris' complete belief in the values espoused by the film's characters, and her refusal to question the decisions made by Antonia and her descendents. Theirs is an open-minded, independent existence, free of the need for male protectors or male approval. Although many viewers praised the film's feminist slant, others labelled it one-dimensional male-bashing. Antonia's Line does at times come across as a little too self-satisfied, as if Gorris were hesitant to allow her philosophy to suffer the weight of even mild criticism. Even so, the film remains a delightful paean to independent women, and to the power of carving one's own path instead of merely following someone else's. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, Rovi

Cast

• Willeke van Ammelrooy - Antonia
• Els Dottermans
• Jan Decleir - Farmer Bas
• Marina De Graaf - Deedee
• Mil Seghers

Jan Steen - Loony Lips; Reinout Bussemaker - Simon; Hans Kesting - Blacksmith; Michaël Pas - Janne; Lineke Rijxman - Narrator; Catherine ten Bruggencate - Malle Madonna; Hans Man in't Veld - Professor; Victor Löw - Harry; Margo Dames - Thérèse; Dora van der Groen - Allegonde; Filip Peeters - Pitte; Truus Te Selle - Ma Gé; Erik de Bruyn - Arend; Petra Laseur - Mother Theodora; Paul R. Kooij - Protestant; Jakob Beks - Farmer Daan; Pieter Callens - Farmer Bas's Other Child; Igor Corbeau - Simon, 13 Years; Daniel Dailly - Farmer Bas's Other Child; Elsie De Brauw - Lara; Sarah De Ceuleer - Letta's Other Child; Christophe De Laere - Letta's Other Child; Jenne Decleir - Farmer Bas's Other Child; Ilse Dense - Letta's Other Child; Ellen Dikker - Muisje; Flip Filz - Chaplain; Johan Heldenbergh - Tom; Leo Hogenboom - Priest; Christophe Horemans - Farmer Bas's Other Child; Jeroen Huysmans - Letta's Other Child; Barbara Maes - Letta's Other Child; Tamara Maes - Letta's Other Child; Gabriella Martinson - Letta's Other Child; Cederic Missine - Muisje's Child; Kristel Olejniejoh - Letta's Other Child; Charlène Pottevin - Deedee's Child; Eddy Praet - Farmer Bas's Other Child; Stijn Rabaey - Muisje's Child; Thyrza Ravesteijn - Sarah; Gilles Robertino - Letta's Other Child; Antoon Schotsaert - Farmer Bas's Other Child; Manon Sodderland - Picture of Maria; Carolien Spoor - Thérèse, 6 Years; Jesse Tomballe - Letta's Other Child; Menno Tomballe - Letta's Other Child; Carlo Van Dam - Simon, 6 Years; Adriaan Van Den Hoof - Farmer Bas's Other Child; Michel Van Dousselaere - Blacksmith; Gilles Van Durme - Letta's Other Child; Daisy Van Laer - Letta's Other Child; Dorien Van Laer - Letta's Other Child; Veerle Van Overloop - Thérèse; Tine Vanhoucke - Muisje's Child; Aurelie Verstraeten - Letta's Other Child; Jascha Vervoort - Farmer Bas's Other Child; Esther Vriesendorp - Thérèse, 13 Years; Wimie Wilhelm - Letta; Nicky Wolfs - Letta's Other Child; Dirk Zeelenberg - Pier; Fran Waller Zeper - Olga; Gosewijn Zwanikken - Picture of Jesus

Credit

Hans Kemna - Casting, Judy Counihan - Co-producer, Marleen Gorris - Director, Ilona Sekacz - Composer (Music Score), Deborah Taylor - Makeup, Willy Stassen - Camera Operator, Harry Ammerlaan - Production Designer, Willy Stassen - Cinematographer, Hans De Weers - Producer, Dirk Bombey - Sound/Sound Designer, Marleen Gorris - Screenwriter

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