Bille

Absolutely loved this film produced by my Latvian brothers. It depicts life just before the soviet occupation which was very interesting to watch. I wish the film was more well-known. It is currently very under-rated in my opinion.

''Bille'' is an emotionally stirring portrait of a young girl thrown in a harsh environment that truthfully portrays the specific time in history of Latvia. Bille is a child affected by poverty and her mothers frequent temper-tantrums and judgement. Nontheless, she is able to persist and, unlike many other girls her age, maintain her own, personal judgement on the changing world around her. ''Bille'' is a story about a child's dream, her longing, the reality and people around her. This movie is welcoming you into the house of a young girls mind and struggles she faces. It is a look through her own eyes and a melancholic, sometimes uplifting and mostly refreshingly honest expression of her own truth.

The film is a rather direct representation of the book of the same name. As a result, it is factually correct but loses some of the book's deeper qualities. Artistically well done, especially with the flawless major roles. Some of the minor characters didn't correspond well with the expected behavior of the generation.

The team consists of local superstars and this could be a bit too much for locals, but not a problem to foreigners. So, if you wish to see a historically correct representation of year 1939 in Latvia in the eyes of an 8 years old girl from a poor and troubled family (although intelligent and loving in its own way) who later turns out to be one of the brightest stars in Latvian literature and a shortlisted Nobel candidate of several years - go ahead.