Israeli-born Dutch director Dana Nechushtan, who has previously mostly worked on TV series, has put a part of her soul in “Piece of My Heart”. 1970s in Amsterdam. This psychologically mercilessly tense film penetrates the boundaries of the lowest human feelings. Professional envy may blind and destroy a person and his closest relationships, and even talent or onerous work is not enough to remain on a high pedestal.

Two best friends – Irma (Elaine Meijerink) and Olga (Roos Englebert) – who have dedicated every cell of their body to the art of dance and understand each other without words are placed in a complex situation when one’s “unexplainable something” that the other is missing lifts her into heights from where it is easy to come tumbling down. The friendship and closeness of the two young women are put to test and both their lives take a turn that is not directly inevitable, but fateful. How much are we prepared to sacrifice and what price are we willing to pay in the name of art?

We get to visually partake in captivating movements and mesmerising dance scenes that lift the viewers from the grey November days straight into a vortex of emotions. “Piece of My Heart” was the first film role for the two professional dancers Elaine Meijerink and Roos Englebert. Their first acting performance is powerful and convincing and the director’s contribution here is undisputable.

Dagmar Raudam