Can Go Through Skin

Dir. Esther Rots
Starring: Rifka Lodeizen, Wim Opbrouck, Chris Borowski, Elisabeth van Nimwegen, Tina de Bruin
Netherlands, 2009, 94 mins.

Can Go Through Skin is the story of Marieke (played explosively by Rifka Lodeizen), a woman who has endured a lot of troubles in little time. After being dumped by her boyfriend, Marieke is the victim of a random act of assault, which takes place while she is taking a bath at home.

Traumatized beyond belief, Marieke retreats to a dilapidated farmhouse in the countryside outside Amsterdam. She begins to work on rebuilding the farmhouse, a visual metaphor for working on herself. However, Marieke continues to struggle between building close relationships with new men in her life and dealing with the demons in her head.

The shaky, hand-held camerawork brings a deep sense of intimacy and anxiety to the film. The music that plays throughout also heightens this experience. Lodeizen’s portrayal of Marieke is commanding, emotional and raw. She makes every action and emotion count on screen. Can Go Through Skin is a powerful story about healing, relationships, and inner-strength.