Stylish albeit discomforting, those are the two words that can be used to describe Slovak-Austrian director Alexandra Makarová’s sophomore feature Perla. It is a quiet piece of cinema and yet conveys such a loud message.
Shortly after the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, a young couple must make the worst decision. Young, about to be a new mother, Perla (Rebeka Poláková) flees communist Czechoslovakia after the arrest of her then partner. To escape a politically uncompromising, state-controlled nation comes with dire consequences. With that behind her, or so she thinks, she is able to build a life for herself in Vienna.
As a single mother she becomes an artist and tries her best to provide for the two of them. Her daughter Julia (Carmen Diego) is an extremely talented pianist and is eyed by many. On a whim, Perla meets and marries Josef (Simon Schwarz). The two begin to parent Julia together and seem to be a happy family. Everything changes when Perla receives a phone call from Julia’s father, Andrej (Noel Czuczor) who has just been released from prison. In an attempt to see his daughter, Andrej convinces Perla to return to her home country. Begrudgingly she accepts and the three begin a journey that will change their lives forever.
A different level of storytelling is achieved when a director can bring you back in time. Then everything changes when a film focuses on one specific tragic moment in history. What people must have gone through fleeing their home country during the communist invasion could not have been easy. For Makarová she wanted to tell the world of this fear within people and did so in Perla.
The thought that went into the making of Perla is clear when watching the final cut. Audiences are never given the full story. Somehow Makarová has made a film that requires the viewer to dig deeper to see more than what is on the surface. From a glance, it first appears as though Perla and Julia live a simple life. Yet, as more is revealed we learn that is not true. Even though Perla’s true self slowly comes into the light, no one will ever know the true story. It remains subtle throughout the entirety of the film. A beautiful piece about a time in history told through one woman’s perspective.
It is carefully planned out. Perla is confusing and yet you want to know more. As the titular character, it only makes sense the film becomes a study into Perla’s mind. Not only do the filmmaking techniques work wonders to explain the time period and context, but Poláková’s portrayal of Perla is touching and heartbreaking. Ultimately, she is simply a mother who wants what is best for her daughter. Poláková does not have to do much, but it is the little she does that conveys the most pain and suffering.
As it becomes clear how close this mother-daughter relationship is, the questions surrounding Perla’s motives begin to make sense. Though, there is still so much that remains unanswered. However, Perla becomes one of those films that only makes sense to not know the entire story. It is the ambiguity in the film that provides the most for the audience. If everything we wondered had been answered, the end result would not have been the same.
Perla is stunning for the eye and all the more surprising in what it reveals. With careful consideration in how things are unveiled, Makarová created an unusual piece of cinema. If the film divulges anything it is how sometimes saying less allows more to be said.
Perla had its world premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in February this year. After some cinematic releases in Europe, the film had its UK premiere at the Leeds International Film Festival on November 5, 2025. It is a different piece of filmmaking that leaves you with questions, but questions that feel just right.
