Toxic

First and foremost, let me assert that "Akiplesa" (Toxic) was, without a doubt, the crowning jewel of this year's Locarno Film Festival. Saule Bliuvaite has masterfully crafted a narrative that resonates with the festival audience, delivering a story that speaks to their sensibilities in a style they can readily embrace.

I was already an admirer of Bliuvaite's work, having been captivated by her short film "Limuzinas" (2020). My confidence in her directorial prowess was unwavering. However, I must confess to a flicker of surprise when I noticed the "Horror" tag alongside the "Coming-of-Age" and "Drama" labels in the festival program. To describe the film without divulging spoilers is a challenge, but Bliuvaite has risen to the occasion with remarkable finesse.

The film's portrayal of the fears of 14-year-old adolescents, etched into their very beings from trembling hands to the dimming sparkle in their eyes, is deeply affecting, thanks in no small part to the talented young cast. Their performances are raw and authentic, capturing the vulnerability and confusion of adolescence with heartbreaking honesty.

One can only hope that the film will secure a wide distribution deal following its festival run, allowing it to reach a global audience. It deserves to be seen and appreciated for its unflinching portrayal of the complexities of adolescence and the insidious nature of societal pressures.

Bliuvaite's direction is assured and confident, showcasing a deft hand at balancing the film's darker elements with moments of tenderness and vulnerability. The film's visual style is striking, with its muted color palette and stark compositions creating an atmosphere of unease and foreboding. The score, a haunting blend of electronic and orchestral elements, further enhances the film's emotional impact.

"Akiplesa" is a film that lingers in the mind long after the final credits roll. It's a testament to the power of cinema to explore the darkest corners of the human experience with sensitivity, insight, and a touch of poetic grace. It's a film that deserves to be seen and discussed, a reminder that even in the face of adversity, the human spirit can find a way to endure and, ultimately, to triumph.

Well if you know the song, you know how that goes ... it would have been fun I reckon if one of the characters name was Brittney ... either way and as always: no pun intended. Let me add a trigger warning to the toxic warning (or label or whatever you want to call it): this will not be easy to watch. It may have gotten some awards (Locarno to name one place) ... but not because it is entertainment ... it kind of has entertainment as a backdrop ... but the way teenage girls are being used (and it is not that you will see explicit scenes of anything in particular) ... just plain crazy.

The circumstances and society putting them in impossible situations ... also promising them so much money and fame and traveling and ... so many other things. But also telling them how they are supposed to look ... we are talking about impressionable individuals ... who try to look or achieve a physical appearance that is almost impossible to achieve ... not to mention the harm they are doing to their body ... there are scenes here .. that you need a strong stomach for (again no pun intended) ... this may be paced slowly ... but it needs to move like that ... to really make you feel ... to give you the impression of things happening .. good intentions ... and a lot of other things that go wrong ...

In the Ozempic era-when beauty is measured in algorithm-approved silhouettes and sold as wellness.

"Toxic" (2024), directed by Saule Bliuvaite and inspired by the 2011 documentary "Girl Model" as well as her own adolescent experiences, peers unflinchingly into the lives of those chasing the "perfect-looking" girl fantasy.

It doesn't exactly break new ground, but it's a sobering reminder that little has changed in the demands placed on women - how they must look to be deemed "visible."

There's no overt body horror here, but the film hovers on its threshold, calling to mind recent works such as "The Substance" or "The Ugly Stepsister."

The latter seeming either to draw inspiration from "Toxic," or perhaps simply sharing a distinctly Nordic-European fascination with certain dark cultural motifs. You'll see what I mean when you watch both.

Instead of horror, Bliuvaite delivers a painfully recognisable drama: the reality of nurturing big dreams in a small industrial town, of being the pretty girl next door, and of chasing someone else's fantasy of becoming a model.

In "Toxic," body positivity is not liberation but a hollow marketing tool-a glossy label masking the same old pressures perpetuated by magazines and social media.

That's the bitter truth: no awareness month can save us from the princess fairytale we are still told we must live out.

Set against the faded asphalt and weary skies of a Lithuanian industrial town, Bliuvaite's tough-minded debut is unsparing in depicting the punishment and self-abuse endured by girls at a modelling academy.

Here, even the vaguest promise of escape-to anywhere-is enough to drive frightening extremes of disordered eating and body modification.

Newcomer Vesta Matulyte plays Marija, a shy girl with a slight limp caused by a disability.

Often clad in Marilyn Manson Tee (an image loaded with its own cultural baggage), she lives with her grandmother while her mother attempts to fix her own relationship problems.

After being bullied at her new school, Marija stands up to - and eventually befriends - Kristina (Ieva Rupeikaite).

Together, they respond to an ad for a "modelling school" audition, which promises the winners fashion trips to the Far East and the US.

Rather than delving into the well-documented corruption of the modelling industry, Bliuvaite focuses on the fraught, co-dependent relationship between these two girls.

They nurture and wound each other in equal measure, fuelling insecurities even as they cling to their bond. It leaves us wondering: is a toxic friendship better than no friendship at all?

The film alternates between chilly composure and bursts of kinetic movement, mirroring Marija's fluctuating sense of self. Occasional detours into the heightened, dreamy mise-en-scène of music videos evoke the kind of future she and her peers imagine for themselves.

Cinematography by Vytautas Katkus is particularly striking, with elegant, cold-toned compositions and ambient set pieces that reflect themes of alienation, poverty, and exploitation.

Close-up portrayals of both young women-each a narrative in herself-deepen our sense of the growing, tender-yet-dangerous bond between them.

The horror here doesn't need to shout. Sometimes, as Poppy sang, "the silence screams so loud."

"Toxic" is a catwalk of quiet devastation-its silence seeps under the skin, reminding us that this story repeats itself, that we never seem to learn, and that, too often, we keep walking further into toxicity and self-destruction.

And somewhere, in the background, the camera keeps rolling-because the world never really looks away.

Met Director Saule Bliuvaite at the NYC Baltic FIlm Festival at Scandinavian House after the screening of "Toxic" and as I write this review 2 days after it's clear she's an Auteur!

The slow tracking shots capturing the post soviet industrial small Lithuanian landscape with broken down scrap cars. But with pulsating characters who play basketball, fix cars, model, drink, kiss and seek a life outside the post Soviet block past.

When speaking to Saule I referenced Kids (Dir. Larry Clark) written by Harmony Korine that explores the same themes of coming-of-age but in the backdrop of NYC's varied mise-en-scene.

Despite the stark difference in the lead characters gender and emotional objectives. Their journey's are identical seeking the solace and affection or parental guidance in TOXIC environments: booze, smokes, sex and parental absence.

Go see it - not for the drama but the bare bones stripped down cinematographic aura of naked bodies (sauna scene) but desire...

The desire to be in sync with your parents, your neighbors, your grocer but most importantly your teenage evolving self in a ever changing or non changing social-economic landscape.

I'm not a Dad - but after watching this I understand why my parents needed to know where I was after school.

To be continued Saule - thanks for taking the first Director / Fan photo with me at Scandinavia House. To be continued ... on Auteur Film Series :-)

No matter your age, you'll find something to relate to in this movie. At times uncomfortable but never brutal or needlessly raw, it remains deeply emotional and engaging. Though I'm not a parent, the film awakened my protective instincts, making me want to shout, 'No, kids, what are you doing?!'

I appreciated how the male characters are portrayed-respectful and tender-which subtly reflects the director's perspective as a woman.

The apocalyptic-like settings and unconventional, colorful characters may unsettle Lithuanians who take pride in their country's image, but they serve as a striking contrast to the sterile, monotonous world of the modeling school.

Visually stunning with a beautiful soundtrack, this film is a true artistic achievement.