Songs Within movie storyline. In Switzerland around 1870. The young maid Elsie dreams of a music career. Her master supports her, but demands sexual favors in return. When Elsie becomes pregnant, he marries her to the groom Jakob and deports the couple to a farm. There is no talk of love. But as long as Elsie dreams of her music and Jakob dreams of his own horse, they get along. But one day Rico appears in the valley and Elsie falls for the Yenish at the first note of his accordion.
A modern relationship and emancipation story set in nineteenth century Alpine Switzerland: The musically highly gifted maid Elsie, who longs for a career as a musician, is forced into marriage with Jacob, a young stable boy who dreams of owning his own horse. Both have to learn that they can only escape their lack of opportunities if they team up.
Songs Within (German: Jakobs Ross) is a Switzerland – Luxembourg drama history film directed by Katalin Gödrös and starring Luna Wedler, Valentin Postlmayr, Eugénie Anselin, Max Hubacher, Luc Feit, Annina Butterworth, Marie Jung, Andreas Matti, Orell Bergkraut, Martin Vischer and Barbara Terpoorten. The screenplay was written by Urs Buehler, Ulrike Maria Hund and Silvia Tschui.
Film Review for Songs Within
Elsie is the young maid of a wealthy mercantilist. When she becomes pregnant with his child against her will, he barters her off to his servant. Not only is Jacob, the servant, bequeathed with a child without his knowing, he is also given a rundown farmyard in the remote Dark Lake as land tenure. In the setting of this dreary village, where everyone cheats everyone else and everyone seems to be hurt or damages one way or another, Elsie has nothing but her violin. She plays it to transport herself into far-off universes, until a traveler arrives.
In “Jakobs Ross” Katalin Gödrös tells of two young people who dream of social advancement and emancipation, and of social realities that contradict this. Your film is based on the novel of the same name by Silvia Tschui and is a little less rough than that, but does not forego harsh and bloody scenes.
“Jakobs Ross” was filmed in Val Bavona (TI) and Bergell. The period and color are represented realistically, the costumes are historically accurate and made with care. Sebastian Edschmid’s camera agilely locates the action in the alpine landscape.
Valentin Postlmayr plays Jakob as a good-natured guy, Max Hubacher impresses in the role of Rico with his acting as well as his musical talent. But the big performance belongs to Luna Wedler, who empathizes deeply with Elsie’s fate not only through brilliant acting, but also through her emotional interpretation of longing (folk) songs. A strong Swiss film.
Jakobs Ross Directed by: Katalin Gödrös Views: 13
Starring: Luna Wedler, Valentin Postlmayr, Eugénie Anselin, Max Hubacher, Luc Feit, Annina Butterworth, Marie Jung, Andreas Matti, Orell Bergkraut, Martin Vischer, Barbara Terpoorten
Screenplay by: Urs Buehler, Ulrike Maria Hund, Silvia Tschui
Production Design by: Marion Schramm
Cinematography by: Sebastian Edschmid
Film Editing by: Isabel Meier
Costume Design by: Ursina Schmid
Art Direction by: Marc Ridremont
Music by: Balz Bachmann
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (Switzerland)
Release Date: January 18, 2024 (Switzerland), March 2, 2024 (Luxembourg), June 30, 2024 (Germany)