Starting Point

In painstakingly framed, atmospheric images, this short, modest documentary tells the story of Aneta from Poland, who is serving a lengthy prison term for a crime she committed when she was young. Every day she leaves the prison to work in a nearby nursing home. Helena is one of the patients she washes, clothes and keeps company. Helena’s limbs are twisted with rheumatism and she is confined to a wheelchair and completely dependent on others. Aneta’s actions are shown in close-up. The camera focuses on her hands as she slides shoes onto Helena’s feet or guides her helpless arms through the sleeves of her sweater. In the meantime, the two women talk about their lives. Gradually, we learn more about the drama behind Aneta’s incarceration: how a rebellious 19-year-old first lived a wild life before committing an impulsive deed with far-reaching consequences. Aneta’s sentence is almost complete, but she fears being released for she will have to face her family and her past. Her conversations with Helena, who bears her fate with astonishing strength, help Aneta realize that life still has a lot to offer her.