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Jabbari has terrific presence as the observant, annoyed Ava, who is labelled as a rebel for wearing red hi-top sneakers or makeup, talking to boys or plotting with her forbidden friends. Her moodiness and brazen deception are understandable here as survival instincts. As the white-gloved headmistress, Rashidi is wonderfully villainous, warning the girls their minds are already polluted. Although the real problem here is Ava's intractable mother, played unapologetically by Nouhian as a control freak who only pretends to care about anyone else.

This is a remarkably textured drama, packed with characters who spring vividly to life thanks to layered interaction and subtly revealing performances. And Foroughi's direction is smart and pointed, deploying skilful long takes and wide shots, sometimes pointedly keeping characters out of focus in the background or obscuring their words. The scene in which Ava finally snaps at her mother is simply breathtaking, not only in how it's shot and played, but in what it says about parent-child relationships in any country on earth.

themes, language, violence

17.Aug.20

Performances are heightened and uneven, which adds a melodramatic tone. Aleiferopoulos gives Panos a sympathetic sense of disorientation as he struggles to be rational in such an inexplicable situation. By contrast, Konidi's Danae is eerily offhanded when she says things like, "Maybe the trees don't want you to leave." Later she tells Panos her secret, and he has to make a momentous decision. As Panos' worried brother, writer De Holland provides some outside perspective.

This is an inventive depiction of the clash between logic and faith, exploring the pointlessness of trying to cram a complex, confusing world into a tidy box. The script playfully spins ideas of God, mother nature, humanism and romance into a heady brew. Each scene is skilfully photographed to capture lush natural beauty as well as hideous implications, contrasting light and darkness within each scene. And as the plot develops, it evokes a desperate urgency. But since so many clues have been dropped along the way, the message is somewhat muddled, and the final act lacks its intended punch.

themes, language, violence, sexuality

27.Aug.20

Benigni opens the story with a blast of comedic energy, then hands over to engaging newcomer Ielapi, who in addition to his remarkable physicality creates a strong mix of internalised emotions and outer bravado, even with his wood-grained complexion. Recurring figures include the thieving Cat and Fox (Papaleo and Ceccherini), a kindly snail (Timo) and the blue-haired Fairy (Calabria then Vacth) who makes his nose grow when he lies and tells him he'll become a real boy if he learns to behave.

There are several genuinely disturbing sequences in this film, including frequent near-death experiences and that nightmarish transformation into a donkey. It's a refreshing change from the usual too-cute kids' movies, because young audiences always prefer a more complex approach. Of course, the film's resolutely non-Hollywood style is another hurdle, as are the subtitles. But older kids should find it offbeat and fascinating. And of course this story is packed with messages to viewers of any age.

themes, violence

10.Aug.20