Not very often we come across movies like Agnieszka Piotrowska’s 'Forbidden Love' which proves us once again that poetry is more than what an author leaves behind between the covers of some books.

Based on this film, poetry is perceived as being more than a feeling. The main piece of soundtrack, a cover of 'Ain’t no sunshine' by Bill Withers goes on and on through the movie as the powerful emotions go on and on through a well written poem.

The cinematography is neat, the lightning is well done and the surroundings are purely amazing. It is a very good way to take a short look at what Zimbabwe looks like through this movie and we guarantee it is nothing we imagined.

The acting is very natural, being no moment of superficiality in this 13 minutes long film. The Bukovskian state in which the writer is caught here expresses the highest moment of bohemianism. It is very hard for someone to imagine a writer without a beer in front of him and a cigarette between two of his fingers. Also, Dambudzo Marechera’s lines are dominated by poetry: there are some times when he is not just talking, but he is in the middle of the creative process.

What we wanted to see more in this film was actually…more Forbidden Love! This short movie is a great piece of artistry and has the potential to become a feature film. The plot is interesting and the material merged in this short could be easily transformed into a long film, with the story-sequences caught here that could become possible side-stories in the whole project. Agnieszka Piotrowska has the story and the brilliant cast, now it is up to her to decide if the love will remain forbidden. 

Review written by Vlad A.G