Dirty God

When Jade, a young mother from London, is discharged from hospital, the doctors are happy with her progress. But can she ever be happy again? After an acid attack by her ex, she will have to live with scars on her neck, chest, arms and part of her face. The burns may heal, but the scars remain. Opening film IFFR 2019.

Dirty God is a portrait of a woman with incredible resilience. This is the third time director Sacha Polak has chosen a capricious, complex, strong female protagonist, following her much appreciated features Hemel (2011) and Zurich (2015). Jade is no passive victim; she makes her own choices – good or bad – and deals with the consequences. Polak’s first English-language feature is controlled and subtle, without the director surrendering any of her typical intensity. Newcomer Vicky Knight, who was badly burned as a child, is a genuine revelation in a powerful lead performance.