Program Note
According to an ancient western legend, pelicans symbolize sacrifice and motherhood through providing their blood to sick babies. Having hit the limelight with her debut film, Nothing Bad Can Happen (2013), in her second film Pelican Blood, German director, Katrin Gebbe, explores the extreme self-sacrifice that comes with motherhood. Horse trainer Wiebke who lives with Nicolina, her adopted daughter, adopts a second child, Raya. Wiebke and Nicola dream of a happy family but their routine is threatened by Raya’s habitual strange behavior caused by her violent disposition.
This film seems to follow the tradition of the "devil’s child" from The Omen to The Orphanage but pays more attention to Wiebke’s blind motherhood. Wiebke’s determination to train all kind of wild horses overlaps her blind motherhood and which uncomfortably eats into viewers’ logic and sensibilities. Nina Hoss, a leading actor of modern German cinema, leads the emotion of the film with her dignified and elaborate performance. (Jin PARK)