Why we picked it – We have a history of films that show a child’s eye view of the world – Petite Maman and Playground two seasons ago and Summer 1993 before that. Here is another.

Trailer

Synopsis – Six-year-old Cléo has a single parent father and loves her nanny Gloria more than anything. Gloria’s children are still in Cape Verde being looked after by their grandmother. When she dies suddenly, Gloria has to return to Cape Verde to care for her family. The separation is painful and when Cléo goes to visit Gloria for the summer, she finds that she is no longer the most important person in her life.

The film – It is the astonishing central performance by Louise Mauroy-Panzani that makes this film a success; but animation sequences and low level camera angles take us into the child’s mind and her view of the world. Here is an interview with the director at the London Film Festival talking about how the film is based on her own experience as a child and the legacy of colonialism that underlies the film.

Director and Writer: Marie Amachoukeli-Barsaq; Cinematography: Ines Tabarin France 2023

Links: imdb Screen Daily Little White Lies