Reedland (2025)

-Written by Kyle Bain.

Johan (Gerrit Knobbe), a reed cutter, finds the dead body of a young girl on his land. The emotional and legal ramifications of this are boundless, and now Johan must try to settle into a world that has forever been altered. Reedland is a somewhat whimsical look at how grief and trauma can affect the human mind. 

The purpose of Reedland is to analyze how Johan has been affected, in a variety of ways, by the unfortunate events that have transpired on his property. Social, emotional, legal, and more effects can clearly be seen throughout the progression of Reedland, and for the most part Writer-Director Sven Bresser does a formidable job of representing those instances on screen, but there are some fractured moments in which I simply can’t ignore. 

I can understand representing Johan’s spiral from reality, but AI sexbots feel like a stretch, like something so far outside of the realm of possibility for this simple reed cutter. Reedland often does a tremendous job of presenting viewers with a grounded representation of grief and trauma, but there are moments in which it strays from the norm, such as the aforementioned AI fiasco, and fractures the narrative, pulling viewers from it. 

Beyond the issues surrounding the aforementioned narrative flaws, Reedland hits all the right notes, effectively reeling in viewers and presenting them with an emotionally riveting experience. Led by Knobbe, Reedland is driven forward by powerful performances that resonate with viewers from the start. Knobbe is honest in his portrayal of Johan, demanding attention and forcing viewers to focus on his every move. What makes this performance even more impressive is the fact that dialogue is quite sparse. With that, Knobbe has to use his body to help tell the story of Reedland, and he does a spectacular job. 

Furthermore, the subtle use of dialogue leaves much of Reedland dependent on the scenery, the score, and the ability of each of the actors to fill the screen. The combination of all of the above work in favor of Reedland, filling it with a beautiful blend of vibrancy and simplicity that reigns supreme in the film’s ability to be honest and accessible. The vastness of the landscape represents the seemingly endless struggle that Johan must face, strengthening the meaning behind his slow descent. Technically, every aspect of Reedland is meant to play a role in understanding Johan’s pain, his suffering, and his overall character arc, and it’s nearly all successful. 

Reedland is a slow burn film that sometimes moves too slowly. All in all, however, Reedland is visually stunning, it’s powerful, and it’s inviting. Extreme moments of pain and suffering exist throughout the course of the film, brought to life by Knobbe’s incredible performance (and the performances of those around him). 

Written & Directed by Sven Bresser. 

Starring Gerrit Knobbe, Loïs Reinders, Mirthe Labree, Dirk Braad, Vincent Linthorst, etc. 

7/10 = WATCH IT FOR FREE