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Urzendowsky gives this noisy film a thoughtful centre as the mousey Nora, fun-loving but oddly humourless. Still, she's curious about what life has to offer, and she finds wonder in the way she is changing. It's a nicely internalised performance that's mainly expressed in Nora's growing connection with the loose, likeable Haase's Romy. It's clear from the start where their relationship is going, but the actresses play it with terrific nuance. And both Klenke and Aylin are superb as older girls whose insecurities are only just being noticed by Nora.

The film is beautifully shot and edited, making more of the story than is actually there. And Krippendorff skilfully captures that adolescent combination of intensity and abandon over the course of this sweltering summer when there isn't much to do beyond partying with friends, lounging in the sunshine and skinny dipping. So when things start getting complicated for Nora, the shift in tone is striking. She's a very different person at the end of this film than she was at the beginning. And so are her caterpillars.

themes, language, sexuality

8.Dec.20

Nand has terrific energy as the enthusiastic young Arjie, a little kid with a big personality. And Ingram cleverly carries that into the teen Arjie, giving him a relaxed, likeable approach to life that makes darker situations remarkably involving. His youthful romance with Mudannayake's lively Shehan is strikingly well-played, with both charming chemistry and an underlying sense of what's at stake. And each supporting actor add his or her own impact by layering side stories with lots of attitude.

This is a beautiful exploration of how a plurality of opinions can both coexist and make a society stronger, while bigotry and fear weaken everybody they touch. Mehta expertly navigates the emotions, shifting from highs to lows to bring out telling angles on the characters, sensitively putting us in their shoes. So while the setting adds huge sociopolitical angles to the film, it remains a personal story and a timely exploration of how we navigate a world that's in constant ideological turmoil.

themes, language, violence

8.Dec.20

The ace cast skilfully evokes both the blackly comical vibe and some surprisingly moving emotions. Borges is terrific as the larger-than-life Mara, whose yearnings and insecurities quietly reveal themselves. Martinez, Brandoni and Mundstock bring layers of sardonic comedy to the film as her faithful companions, big personalities who are continually trying to change the course of the narrative. Opposite them, Lago and Francella have their own razor-edged charm as the sneaky young villains of the piece.

There's a wide variety of themes gurgling through each character's journey through this tangled mess, and the overriding idea is that you should never underestimate your rival. Even more interesting is the exploration of how we begin to believe the myths we invent about ourselves. And some day there will have to be a reckoning, as we're forced to face who we really are. Or perhaps we can just create another myth that will allow us to carry on smiling.

themes, language, violence

10.Dec.20