All it takes is one thought…one idea…to get the creative juices flowing. It starts with a tiny seed of a story that blossoms into a full-blown feature film. Written by Blazej Dzikowski, this idea comes from events in the life of first-time director Renata Gabryjelska and grew into her first movie, Safe Inside.
An American couple, Tom (Tom Ainsley) and Ana (Andrea Tivadar) is running away from life on a bus in a remote part of France. Ana tries to call her mother, but it seems she has mild dementia, and Tom is just an angry guy with Ana has his sole connection in a foreign land. While on the bus, Ana is freaked out as the bus driver is a little reckless and gets into a minor accident. Ana’s had enough, and the two decide to get off the bus and walk to their destination.
“…the two meet the owner, an older gentleman…who welcomes them in and takes an immediate liking to Ana.”
Soon, we find that the two are on a work vacation. When Tom and Ana arrive at the bed & breakfast, the two meet the owner, an older gentleman named Richard (Steven Brand), who welcomes them in and takes an immediate liking to Ana. Richard offers them 200 euros a day plus room and board for helping with chores around the villa. Suspicious, Tom acts like a dick to Richard (get it? That jokes in the movie too), but Ana smooths things over.
Can Richard be trusted? What are his intentions? Why won’t he let the couple leave the compound? What’s up with the vicious dogs he keeps in the barn? Tom is tired of the questions and demands to leave. Tom runs for it and is chased by the dogs. He jumps over the fence and awakens in a hospital bed. He’s been in a coma the whole time. Thus ending act one.
"…Brand switches brilliantly between charming and creepy..."
I enjoy these types of films. Not only do these films create a disquieting ambiance, but they also delve into how our history and subconscious thoughts shape our worldview. They frequently inhabit a prolonged, dream-like state, obscuring the boundaries between what’s real and what’s imagined.