Paradise is burning

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Reflections on a Disturbing and Beautiful Cinematic Experience

This morning, I find myself disturbed by the memories of a film I watched yesterday. During the movie, I was initially bored and tired, struggling to align myself with the characters and the non-narrative space-time scenario. I kept hoping for rhythm, for deeper effects, but now I see the first 30 to 45 minutes in a new light. What seemed chaotic at first appears to be an environment without authority, without adults, without the safety net of parents. It's a free, yet deeply unsettling way of living.

The story is sad and uncomfortable, forcing me to question what it would be like to live without the unconditional love of parents and siblings. The absence of authority made me feel very alone, as though no one could truly understand the pain of not being loved as much as we deserve, especially at a young age.

However, within this chaos, there were moments of transcendence. For example, when the older sister spends time with a woman much older than her-perhaps her mother-and together they rob wealthy houses. They don't do it out of necessity; they do it to pass time, to share love and experience a sense of connection. This ritualistic element is further emphasized in scenes where groups of young girls come together to celebrate milestones like the loss of a tooth or the onset of menstruation, gathered around a fire in nature. These moments felt deeply authentic, rare in cinema, and charged with emotion.

The film was intense, beautiful, and overwhelmingly sad. It was a mix of discomfort and openness, of laughter and tears. The dialogues were clever, playful, and at times subtly entertaining, but they also carried a dark undercurrent of loneliness. There were moments of solidarity among the characters, but also a deep, existential solitude that was palpable.

The performances were extraordinary. The younger sister, only about seven years old, delivered an incredible, raw performance that left me in shock. I had never seen such depth of emotion and vulnerability from a young actor before. Her acting was both heart-wrenching and awe-inspiring.

The film made me reflect on aspects of family, security, and solidarity. I felt a deep emotional connection to the three sisters, whose complicated yet natural interactions spoke volumes about the bonds of sisterhood. Their shared complicity, their confrontational moments, and their love were deeply moving. I found myself crying not just because of the sadness, but because of the tenderness and strength in their relationship.

Ultimately, the movie feels like a completely free narrative space-one that explores friendship and transgression without boundaries or judgment. It is a world where children and teenagers express themselves in a dystopian environment, full of survival, complicity, love, and violence. The film asks questions about where we are now, in this Western way of living. It feels like we've been transported to another planet, a place where rituals, primal gestures, and a sense of bestiality exist alongside the fragility of paradise. This is a place where everything can burn at any moment.

In conclusion, for all the hard work that went into this film, I give it an 8/10. It's a powerful statement about women, about the new wave of non-narrative cinema, and about the transgressive possibilities of storytelling. A shocking space to live.

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Terrific performances, and a directing style that throws you into the action, and trusts the viewer to find their way in a strikingly off-centre story world, make this a pretty gripping film. It's a world where adults, authority (and boys) seem to be in short supply; girls rule.

In the end, I enjoyed it more than I believed it, and the story became a little bogged down in secondary, and slightly mystifying characters. But whether the director's channelling Andrea Arnold or Aki Kaurismaki, it's a very promising debut.

The international movie database is telling me I need to write another five words to be able to submit this review.

The winner of Swedens best film of 2023 at the "Guldbaggegalan" delivers with a deep and really well made debut from Mika Gustafsson! Pure art! Beautiful! Well deserved winner!

This movie is meant to deliver emotions and authenticity. Which is certainly managed to succeed with!

The acting is simple and brilliant! It feels extremely real and is performed with passion, from every actor. Aswell the manuscript is really amazing!

Cinematography, editing and filming is really beautiful! Amazing soundtrack!

What a debut! Definitely, if not THE best, one of the best Swedish films of 2023! A excellent drama! Im sure we will see Mika Gustafsson making big films in the future!

A film you have to see!