The Mill and the Cross

"Behind every great painting lies an even greater story"

2011 1h 36m PL

😐

6.4

MID

★6.4TMDB · 114

DramaHistory

Synopsis

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What would it be like to step inside a great work of art, have it come alive around you, and even observe the artist as he sketches the very reality you are experiencing? From Lech Majewski, one of Poland's most acclaimed filmmakers, The Mill and the Cross is a cinematic re-staging of Pieter Bruegel's masterpiece "Procession to Calvary," presented alongside the story of its creation.

“Behind every great painting lies an even greater story”

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Cast

Rutger Hauer
Peter Bruegel
Charlotte Rampling
Mary
Michael York
Nicolaes Jonghelinck
Joanna Litwin
Marijken Bruegel
Dorota Lis
Saskia Jonghelinck
Bartosz Capowicz
Crucified
Mateusz Machnik
Wheelfied
Marian Makula
Miller

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Lech Majewski
Writers: Michael Francis Gibson, Lech Majewski
Languages: English, Dutch, Spanish
Countries: Poland, Sweden, Germany

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 15 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, Dutch, Spanish.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 3 countries: Poland, Sweden, Germany.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Lech Majewski, shot by Lech Majewski. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Lech Majewski. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Lech Majewski shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Rutger Hauer and Charlotte Rampling and Michael York carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Behind every great painting lies an even greater story".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Lech Majewski directs. Lech Majewski behind the camera. Lech Majewski scores. Lech Majewski cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Poland, Sweden, Germany. Dialogue in English, Dutch, Spanish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 15 years ago.
2Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, Dutch, Spanish.
3International production across 3 countries: Poland, Sweden, Germany.
4Directed by Lech Majewski, shot by Lech Majewski. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Lech Majewski. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Lech Majewski shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Rutger Hauer and Charlotte Rampling and Michael York carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "Behind every great painting lies an even greater story".
9IMDB entry: tt1324055 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Lech Majewski
Original score: Lech Majewski
Editing: Lech Majewski
Production design: Katarzyna Sobańska
Costume design: Dorota Roqueplo
Makeup / hair: Hanna Leśna
Runtime: 96 min · 1h 36m
Status: Released
Box office: $1,116,180
Original language: PL
IMDB: The Mill and the Cross (2011)

Also by

Lech Majewski

Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

tmdb280390232022-09-10
★ 6/10
The Mill and the Cross is one of the best biopics about a painter — or, for that matter, any artist — because it concerns itself less with the painter and more with his work; that is, it knows that the 'what' and 'how' matter more than the 'who.' That’s not to say that the creator doesn’t count for anything; what I mean is that the every artist’s autobiography is recorded in their work (and that’s is why, as I always say, we can learn more about Elton John or Freddie Mercury by listening to Rocketman and Bohemian Rhapsody than by watching Rocketman and Bohemian Rhapsody). This film co-written and directed by Lech Majewski is admirably faithful to the aesthetics of Pieter Brueghel the Elder, but it does not co-opt the artist's vision to put forth a crackpot, 'secret history' plot that has more to do with the filmmaker’s fevered imagination than with any real, historical fact; for example Nightwatching, Loving Vincent, or At Eternity's Gate, which all look great and contain great performances, but end up as nothing more than vehicles for their respective filmmakers' outlandish conspiracy theories — they talk a lot but say little or nothing. In contrast, The Mill and the Cross talks little but speaks volumes. Of the dozens of characters, only three have significant dialogue, especially Brueghel (Ruther Hauer) himself; his monologues provide a convincing, reasonable, and direct explanation of the structure and symbolism of The Procession to Calvary. Meanwhile, Michael York's rich baritone provides the political and social context for the painting.

Production companies