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While they are part of the village, Antonia's conscious decision not to have any men around sets them apart from so-called norm. In fact the village is awash with unusual characters, stretching from Crooked Finger (Mil Seghers), a misanthropic recluse, to Mad Madonna (Catherine ten Bruggencate), a Catholic lady who howls mournfully at the full moon. Downstairs The Protestant (Paul Kooij) bangs on the ceiling in annoyance, a mask for the love that he really feels for her (which will never be fulfilled due to their religious differences). There are good folk, such as Farmer Bas (Jan Decleir) and his multitude of sons, and there are bad, typified by Farmer Daan (Jakob Beks) and his equally brutish sons. Unfortunately for his daughter Deedee (Marina de Graaf), who is retarded, she is right in the firing line for the crude taunts and physical abuses of the Daan family.
Gradually, as the seasons pass, like-minded individuals gravitate towards Antonia's welcoming household. Loony Lips (Jan Steen), another slow-witted labourer, ends up following Antonia home when she protects him from some insulting kids. Farmer Daan isn't too happy about his loss but this is nothing compared to the circumstances surrounding Deedee's more to the farm. It all comes about when, by mistake, Danielle stumbles across Deedee being incestuously raped by her brother Pitte (Filip Peeters). Danielle manages to rescue her from this living hell, while doling out some severe punishment to Pitte (who then vanishes). Life goes on, with Farmer Bas awkwardly trying to charm Antonia (since his boys could do with a mother) and Danielle arranging to have a child of her own, prodigy Therese (Veerle van Overloop). Years pass, Antonia's extended family grows some more.
Antonia's Line is mostly successful in following its 90s themes of liberation, being your own person and not forcing others to follow your moral code. The set-up of Antonia's farm being somehow more advanced than anywhere else, an oasis for misfits of the time, works well on both dramatic and comic levels. As the years roll by, a steady procession of "characters" gravitate towards this pastoral paradise, gathering around the ever-growing dinner table for boisterous Sunday lunches. None of the roles are exactly stereotypes, even though almost everyone has a single feature which defines their behaviour (a necessary compromise given the rapidity with which people are introduced). Rather, they are warm, open, solid country folk who form a living, breathing community.
However, Antonia's Line emits conflicting signals in its attitude towards men and women. On one hand, sexism is roundly condemned and shown for the nonsense it is, yet the film itself practices it. Apart from the fact that female-only screenings have been arranged at various film festivals, men (as a group) are illustrated as, at best, incompetent, and, at worst, demonic. While this approach is not intrinsically wrong, it is one-sided. Fortunately this aspect doesn't damage what is basically a pragmatic and romantic tale, which is only occasionally contrived. Antonia's Line isn't as profound as it thinks it is, but it does provide a fairly enjoyable viewing experience.
In some ways, the technical details which allow 40 years to pass in a flash are the most impressive part of Antonia's Line. The make-up is truly excellent, very subtle and quite convincing. With acting which backs up this false aging, there is never a scene which feels anachronistic. So, if you fancy a hefty dose of female empowerment with no sexual hang-ups (a bit like an anti-"Woody Allen" feature), then this may be just the picture you're looking for.
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