'Holly' has a storyline which should be ideal for a gripping drama in the best Hollywood style. The film is about a shy, lonely girl whose life is turned upside down because of a coincidence. After she stays home on the day her school burns down, people around her start to think she has a special gift, and that she can make positive things happen.
But anyone who is familiar with Fien Troch's earlier films, knows that a simple straightforward drama is not her style. Troch uses an understated cinematographic language, in which implying is more important than spelling things out. She is not primarily concerned with the story itself, but rather with the way different characters react to things that happen to them. Apart from Holly herself, who is confused and insecure about how she is perceived by others, there are two other interesting characters: her teacher, who somehow hopes Holly can solve a major problem for her, and a classmate, who is also an outsider, just like Holly.
With 'Holly', Flemish film maker Fien Troch adds another film to her very distinctive filmography. The central theme in her films is the difficulty of understanding each other, and the way young people interact with adults. Her films have an unpolished, almost documentary feel, but they are made very carefully. Every scene has its place, and helps us to get to know the characters better.
Some viewers might be dissapointed that the film doesn't lead to some apotheosis. But this is consistent with Troch's way of making films. She doesn"t seem much concerned about what happens exactly and why, but rather by what her characters do and feel. After having seen the film, you are more concerned about Holly's well-being than about anything else.
