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It’s one of those open-ended films that leaves you guessing as there is no real conclusion. But with so many unanswered questions left in your head, it certainly gets you thinking.

A bizarre — but definitely unique — film based in a laboratory that preserves specimens relating to people’s personal lives. Apparently everyone has a specimen –—that most painful memory that they want to preserve for safekeeping.

For example, there’s the girl who wants to preserve the living mushrooms found at her house after everything else had been destroyed in a fire. There’s the woman who wants to preserve the piece of music her boyfriend wrote for her before they split up. And there’s the shoe polisher who wants to keep hold of the bones of an animal.

The film starts dramatically with Iris (Olga Kurylenko) losing the tip of her left ring finger while working on the conveyor belt in a lemonade factory. Her finger falls into one of the bottles and all the blood turns the lemonade red.

Iris then moves to a port town and finds work at the laboratory — which preserves and stores any personal artifacts taken there.

Lacking in dialogue, the thought-provoking film is beautifully filmed and effectively uses camera movements, particularly close-ups, to communicate with viewers.

There is also lots of sexual energy between characters including a bizarre relationship between Iris and the owner of the laboratory — which started when he did something as simple as putting a pair of red shoes on her feet.

As the film unfolds viewers learn keeping specimens is more about separation, preservation and closure than nostalgia.

But you can’t help but start thinking about your own memories, your losses and even what you are looking for in life.

The film is full of feeling and mystery and can only be compared to a book you just can’t put down.[[In-content Ad]]

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