Irina, a young woman who's seen the tough side of life. After escaping the sex trade in her native Ukraine, Irina starts anew in an Italian village. She lands a job as a house servant to a wealthy couple and their young daughter, ingratiating herself into the family. But when a man from her past arrives, Irina's newfound comfort is suddenly jeopardized.

Director, Giuseppe Tornatore took six years between his hit film "Malčna" and this film but finally the wait is over as it now is on DVD. I got to say this is by far his most different film and the darkest to date. It is hard to talk about the story without giving too much of it away so I will try not to do that. The film is a thriller/drama that is both sweet as well as ugly in showing the dark side of human nature. The cast is simply amazing, Kseniya Rappoport plays Irena and she handles the complex character with ease. The supporting cast is no less brilliant and each and everyone of them make their characters believable and bring so much emotion to them. The story is told in a non-linear fashion but all I can say is be prepared to be not only challenged but it grabs a hold of you from the opening frames and it never lets you go, taking you on an emotional ride that will shock you. The direction is flawless but I expected that from this master, also the score is excellent and really helps add to the story. The Unknown Woman is a film that reminds you why you began loving cinema in the first place, it is simply a master-piece in film-making and a must see for any fan of the genre. The film was released in 2006 and it had a brief run in the U.S. in in 2008 but I must say it is one of the best movies I seen in 2009, an instant classic that deserves an audience. Released by Image Entertainment. ***** Out Of *****