I caught this at the tail-end of the recent Cinecity Film Festival in Brighton, little knowing what to expect other than it began in Northern France and ended in Brighton. This is a film that wraps you in the character of Zoe, played with astonishing verve and determination by French actress Lolita Chammah, and the camera barely leaves her, focusing on her viewpoint, barely straying to the few other characters that pop up periodically during the film. We are immersed in her plight, in her flight, away from either a troubled household, or an abusive partner (she is limping badly), with nothing but the clothes on her back and a plastic bag with little in it... and she is quite possibly pregnant. With panoramic images of a bleak Northern France criss-crossed with endless motorways, a choppy Channel crossing and a windswept Brighton, we are with Zoe all the way. She is angry, sad and desperate, and so we feel for her anguish, wanting only for her lot to improve. This, we believe, could be possible after she boards a ferry hidden in another woman's car, affording Zoe an opportunity to assume the woman's identity, giving us a glimmer of hope. But once in Brighton, she is a stranger in a strange land, full of the unknown, and so Zoe slowly but surely begins to unravel. Swiss director Lorenz Merz has crafted a brave and uncompromising film, giving us a girl's eye view of what it's like to be on the edge, and at a succinct 85 minutes, it doesn't outstay its welcome. Lolita Chammah gives it her all, at once both fragile, guileless and beautiful, pulling the viewer into her world, a world that teeters on the edge of tragedy, yet always with the possibility of salvation. This is vital film-making for those who appreciate the challenge.
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pjpmoore31 December 2014
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kristinajanelawson15 August 2019This is a film that requires patience, but it pays off. Zoe is a troubled girl, one that is very relatable. There is little dialogue, but the performance of Lolita Chammah is excellent and dialogue is not required.
Beautifully filmed with a poetic storyline.