CELEB
A Haunting Subject Deserving of Sharp Examination
Slovak director Ivan Ostrochovský takes on a deeply troubling chapter of European history with 'Only Beautiful Things to Look At,' a film that tackles the Czechoslovakian government's systematic forced sterilization of Roma women during the 1980s. It's the kind of story that demands to be told. raw, uncomfortable, and impossible to look away from. The question is whether this particular telling does justice to the gravity of what occurred.
The film meticulously recreates the aesthetic of 1980s Czechoslovakia, with carefully curated period costumes and production design that transport viewers back to a time when state-sanctioned racism was woven into the fabric of society. Ostrochovský clearly invested considerable effort into capturing the visual authenticity of the era, and the result is undeniably handsome cinematography.
A Distancing Artistic Choice
Here's where things get complicated. Rather than giving voice to the Roma women who were directly targeted by these policies, Ostrochovský centers his narrative around a white female doctor. While this perspective offers insight into how complicity operates within institutional cruelty, it also creates a strange emotional distance. The very people most affected by these atrocities become secondary figures in their own story.
The director's approach leans heavily into a soft-focus, period-drama aesthetic that. intentionally or not. positions these horrors as artifacts of a distant past. It's a visually polished treatment that risks transforminggenuine suffering into something that feels safely contained behind museum glass. Audiences may find themselves admiring the craftsmanship while feeling strangely removed from the human cost.
Why This History Still Matters
What makes this reviewer's concerns particularly pointed is the uncomfortable truth that these sterilization policies didn't end with the fall of communism. Both the Czech and Slovak Republics continued such practices well into the 21st century. a reality that makes the film's aestheticized approach feel even more problematic. This isn't ancient history. Survivors and their descendants are still alive today.
Ostrochovský's intentions clearly come from the right place, and there's value in bringing international attention to this underreported chapter of European history. But good intentions don't automatically translate into effective storytelling. The film needed more urgency, more rawness, and more willingness to make viewers uncomfortable rather than politely horrified.
Final Verdict
'Only Beautiful Things to Look At' is a well-meaning effort that ultimately fumbles the emotional core of its subject matter. The visual craftsmanship is impressive, but the bloodless presentation does a disservice to those whose lives were irrevocably damaged by state policy. For viewers interested in this era, the film serves as a starting point. but it shouldn't be the final word on such a critical topic.
