Brutal Honest

I haven't heard about this movie. I just picked it randomly at the library because it said it won an award. Although some would say that it is a depressive film, I didn't find it the case so much. I found it very bold and honest in the way people lived not so long again and probably still live in rural areas accross the world.
By the way people lived, it feels like it was back to medieval times. The way it is filmed desserves credit as the location, the landscape, people clothes and behaviours, you really have the impression you are going back in 500 years time. I felt it denunciated cowardice, ignorance, intolerance, governement laws and rich land owners greediness.
I was particular shocked with a scene where Pelle agreed to give the young misfit kid his coin if he gave him 100 neetle blows. There is something shocking about that. it kind of shows that Pelle is getting revenge on someone weaker than him for being so angry at being picked at. Was anyone shocked by that ?