Why we picked it – A counter-point to Petite Maman. Another director/writer’s view of childhood, but grittier. A remarkable first feature.

Synopsis – When seven-year old Nora sees her elder brother, Abel, being bullied by  other kids, she tries to protect him. But Abel tells her to keep quiet. As the bullying spreads and victimhood taints friendship and family, trying to do the right thing doesn’t always work out. 

The film – This film is cinema stripped down to the essentials. It is only 72 minutes with no score and a handheld camera that stays at child eye level in a subdued bluish palette rarely leaving Nora’s face. The child actors are remarkable – Maya Vanderbeque as Nora in particular – Laura Wandel talks about how she worked with them in the interview below.

The original French title, Un monde, translates as “a world”. Is this metaphorical? The school is a hostile and inescapable environment. This is one child on a tiny planet but the themes dealt with are universal.

Director/Writer: Laura Wandel, Cinematographer: Frédéric Noirhomme, Belgium, 202, 75 mins, 15

Links – imdb Guardian review New York Times review