"Daens" is based on a novel by the famous Belgian writer Louis Paul Boon. The novel is called "Pieter Daens" but the real lead character in the novel (and the film) is his brother Adolf Daens. Adolf Daens was an enlighted priest who lived from 1839 - 1907. He supported the textile workers in his hometown Aalst (Belgium) in their struggle for higher wages and better working conditions. This brought him into conflict with the Catholic political party, who supported the employers. Deans was the founder of "Daensisme", a Christian political movement to the left in the politcal spectrum. His political activities were not to the taste of the Vatican, and Daens was obliged to choose between politics and priesthood. He chose the first. In 2015 Deans was rehabilitated by the Vatican.
"Daens" is a socially motivated film. One is inclined to compare it with the English kitchen sink movement, but that would not be entirely justified. Kitchen sink films are about laborers in the mid 20th centry, "Daens is situated at the end of the 19th century. With "Marina" (2013) director Stijn Coninx would later make a movie that is more in line with English kitchen sink.
A better comparison is with "How green was my valley" (1941, John Ford). Both films are situated in the same time frame and in both films there is an enlighted priest. "How green was my valley" contains however far more human interest and is far less openly political. The film "Daens" takes itself very seriously, but it must be said that the shocking working conditions leave very little room for humor. Only in the end, in the scene in which Jefke died, there was a poetic moment involving a circus. A moment that seems to be directly derived from a Bergman movie.
Serious or not, "Daens" is a very beautifully made film. The set pieces are very convincing. It was not by accident that "Daens" was nominaed for an Oscar for best foreign language movie. The Oscar was however won by "Indochine" (1992, Regis Wargnier). Five years later lead actor Jan Decleir played in the Dutch movie "Character" (1997, Mike van Diem) and this move did win the Oscar for best foreign langauge movie.
"Daens" is a socially motivated film. One is inclined to compare it with the English kitchen sink movement, but that would not be entirely justified. Kitchen sink films are about laborers in the mid 20th centry, "Daens is situated at the end of the 19th century. With "Marina" (2013) director Stijn Coninx would later make a movie that is more in line with English kitchen sink.
A better comparison is with "How green was my valley" (1941, John Ford). Both films are situated in the same time frame and in both films there is an enlighted priest. "How green was my valley" contains however far more human interest and is far less openly political. The film "Daens" takes itself very seriously, but it must be said that the shocking working conditions leave very little room for humor. Only in the end, in the scene in which Jefke died, there was a poetic moment involving a circus. A moment that seems to be directly derived from a Bergman movie.
Serious or not, "Daens" is a very beautifully made film. The set pieces are very convincing. It was not by accident that "Daens" was nominaed for an Oscar for best foreign language movie. The Oscar was however won by "Indochine" (1992, Regis Wargnier). Five years later lead actor Jan Decleir played in the Dutch movie "Character" (1997, Mike van Diem) and this move did win the Oscar for best foreign langauge movie.