Time To Die

Aniela lives alone in a sprawling mansion full of the treasures of her grand and storied past in pre-war Poland. Her closest and most loyal companion is her beloved dog and confidante, Fila, with whom she converses regularly. Her other favorite pastime is spying on the neighbors to assess the intentions of their comings and goings. Like Aniela, the house has seen better days, and its overgrown garden and deteriorating features offend her neighbor, the owner of a modern concrete bungalow. In a classic neighbor dispute, he seeks to buy Aniela's house so he can rid the neighborhood of what he perceives is an eyesore. Aniela's married son occasionally visits, but is he part of the plot to take away her house as she suspects? As Aniela reflects on her life, images of the happiest memories- like evenings spent waltzing to Strauss– are juxtaposed against the ruthless days of the Communist regime. Paranoid or not, Aniela presents a beautiful portrait of how to age gracefully. Shot in glowing black and white, TIME TO DIE is a wonderfully evocative rendering of the daily life of an old woman, full of joyous memories, rambling conversations, and feisty confrontations. (In Polish with English subtitles) –CCP