This terrific coming-of-age film tells a story of growing up largely without parents, of the complex world of becoming an adult when the adults aren’t there. It’s the story of Flavia, autonomous and a bit uncouth; Flavia, whose mother works as a carer in Italy, her father on a construction site. She’s adopted a certain sarcasm she uses even with Luca, with whom she flirts in a cool way; the attraction is strong. Luca’s parents aren’t there either and his grandmother is frail, meaning he is the one more or less taking care of his sister Tina – who brings home two more kids with her one day. Fears of commitment and emotional blocks start to dissolve and, like in an adolescent novel, a self-chosen alternative family forms almost in passing, where living in freedom, critical relationships and taking care of one another are a given. Carried by Andrei Butic?’s precise, yet loose-limbed camerawork and atmospheric direction inspired by Pialat and Rohmer, the adolescent ensemble takes on responsibility – and gets in the driving seat. Whether visiting caves in the forest or everyday life in a prefab block: their intelligence and vigour are delightful, the dynamics of their shared bonds subtle.
A wealthy couple, Amy and Alex Cummings have 'lost" their daughter in a tragic car accident several years ago, and Amy is in need of supervision whilst Alex is away on business. The trauma of the crash, the loss of their daughter and Amy's inability to become pregnant again because of her horrendous injuries, have all pushed them to a dangerous place. Lizzy arrives at their beautiful, rural family home to find all is not what it seems. Dark forces are summoned and Lizzy soon finds herself part of a devious plan. Death and murder ensue.
Elias dreams of a family. Christian is happy about their free existence in an open relationship, where they have time and money to travel, buy expensive designer furniture and love each other. Elias has been able to keep his longing at bay for a long time, but when he starts his new job as a psychologist at a school home, it is as if the burden is overflowing. He must face the fact that a life without a human responsibility for others than himself can never be a happy life for him.