The film follows Lilya, a 16-year-old girl living in a bleak, dour and decaying industrial town. Her life feels as though it is finally about to turn into something worth living when her mother tells her that she plans to move to America and take Lilya with her. She is elated, full of smiles, packs her bags and can't wait for the day to arrive. However, on the day of travel, her life falls apart again when her mother reveals she is going without her, promising to send money and the means to join her at some point in the future.
She is left in the care of her mother’s sister, Anna, who immediately dumps Lilya into a tiny, squalid flat in which an old man has just died, simply so Anna can have Lilya's family home for herself. Anna threatens and abuses Lilya, for whom she clearly does not care, leaving her without electricity, food or the means to survive. When Lilya asks Anna how she is supposed to live, Anna tells her to go and 'spread her legs' for money, just as her mother did. It becomes a hard-nosed tale reminiscent of a Mike Leigh film set in poverty-stricken, working-class Britain. All hope vanishes when she receives a letter from her mother legally disowning her and placing her care into the hands of the social services - who do nothing of the sort.
Lilya has a friend called Volodya, a young boy a couple of years her junior who plays basketball. They end up finding places to sleep and survive together after his father also throws him out of the family home. Volodya looks up to Lilya like a big sister, but also with clear designs on a romantic relationship - which she rejects due to the age gap. Nevertheless, they remain close - they are all each other has. They huddle for warmth, play games and sniff glue together - the downward spiral of poverty and despair continues.
Out of desperation, Lilya briefly turns to survival sex work. She hangs out in a local bar and successfully finds men who use her for money until, inevitably, she is abused. As she is staggering home, Andrei - a handsome young man - pulls up beside her in his car. He offers her a lift and appears to treat her with kindness and respect. They form a relationship and grow close. He claims to live in Sweden and says he is merely on holiday here. He tells her he can find her a job and a home in Sweden if she would like to go with him. Suddenly, life looks rosy again and she leaps at the chance.
Volodya pleads with her not to go. She asks Andrei if the boy can come too, but Andrei says he will "work on it" once she is settled in Sweden. On the way to the airport, having provided Lilya with a false passport, Andrei tells her he must visit his mother and that she should go ahead, with a plan for him to follow in two days. He claims a friend will meet her at the airport to look after her.
By now, even if you do not know the life of Dangulė Rasalaitė, I am sure you can guess what is afoot and the kind of life that awaits her in Sweden. It is a film full of physical and psychological abuse, focusing mainly on how Lilya and Volodya attempt to break free from their world of cruel suffering. It questions the value of human life, highlights systemic neglect and explores the impact of abandonment on 'unseen' children.
The use of Rammstein’s Mein Herz Brennt at the beginning and end of the film creates a moving and harrowing yet chaotic backdrop to the children’s plight. The interior scenes feature a great deal of handheld camerawork, depicting the chaos surrounding the characters and their often violent struggles. I usually complain bitterly about this technique but here, for once, it seems fitting.
The reason I tracked this film down is that we are exploring a 'basketball' theme for the Projector Room Podcast and I wanted to find something away from the usual flurry of American comedies. In this film, Lilya buys Volodya a basketball with the first money she earns from selling her body. He is over the moon. The ball represents happiness in the midst of chaos and misery. When Volodya’s father throws him out, he destroys the ball, ensuring his happiness is short-lived. It is a case of parents destroying the hope of their children. The film ends with a surreal sequence where Lilya and Volodya are on a rooftop, away from the city, happily playing basketball together. It is a quiet, recurring thread that ties their friendship together amongst the misery. I may have had to stretch the theme to fit, but it works!
The film is not an easy watch. It's gritty, dark, moving and tragic. I was unfamiliar with the actors, but the two leads, Oksana Akinshina and Artyom Bogucharskiy, were totally convincing and demonstrated real talent. Well worth a watch if you can track it down.
No comments:
Post a Comment