Nerdly » BFI Flare 2023: ‘The Chambermaid’ Review

31st Mar2023

BFI Flare 2023: ‘The Chambermaid’ Review

by Jasmine Valentine

Stars: Vica Kerekes, Radka Caldová, Dana Droppová | Written by Mariana Cengel-Solcanská, Hana Lasicová | Directed by Mariana Cengel-Solcanská

Before World War I breaks out, 15-year-old Anka (Dana Droppová) swaps life in a small Slovak town with her parents for the big city of Prague, working as a maid for a wealthy family. Due to be married off, daughter Resi (Radka Caldová) initially comes off as cruel but is masquerading in a social standing that expects a lot from her. As the two grow closer, they must figure out how their fledgling relationship fits into the bigger picture.

Typically, queer stories are few and far between, but the subgenre of sapphic period drama is unusually awash with choice. Big hitters such as Portrait Of A Lady On Fire, Ammonite, and Tipping The Velvet have been cornerstones for helping young queer women to come to terms with their sexuality, and have understandably made a name for themselves in the process. Rookies going up against such famed titles are always going to have a hard time, and writer-director Mariana Cengel-Solcanská’s The Chambermaid will possibly struggle to stand the test of time. That being said, the film offers a satisfying glimpse into pre-war Europe and the perennial struggle of forbidden love.

Before either of the protagonists can be examined, there’s a lot to be said about the surrounding context — which doesn’t uniquely say much about anything. Both Anka and Resi’s families are fairly nondescript, blending into their respective stereotypes of entitled aristocracy and breadline paupers. Both worlds exhibit an overwhelming sense of coldness, setting the pair up for an expectation of unhealthy relationships that are doomed to falter. From the off, their connection is steeped in a skewed power dynamic, with Resi humiliating Anka by forcing her to strip for entertainment. Of course, a budding romance somehow grows from this sizzling instance of mental trauma, possibly perpetuating the idea that queer love cannot exist within a comfortable, healthy environment. Still, the moments of quiet intimacy that viewers are let in on are sweet and endearing, though frequently tangled with the malicious intent to harm Resi’s new husband and the baby that arrives as a result of the marriage.

From here, things take an unexpected turn. Anka contorts herself through hoops of maid to lover and confidante to guardian of a small child, making her narrative journey compelling if not exhausting. Resi is where the film’s character development really shines through, arriving full circle to address her missing sense of empathy and self-awareness. Anka’s team of fellow maids also do a lot of the heavy storytelling lifting, with Liza (Vica Kerekes) in particular a vehicle for the class and gender divide that the downstairs staff experience.

The Chambermaid isn’t anything groundbreaking or even exciting, but when its moments of emotional strain work, they are utterly beguiling.