The Young Arsonists

We find ourselves in a situation at a certain point in our lives when our whole world is broken, and we need to move beyond it. What is not clear is what we can take with us and what we must let go. We may need to leave pieces of ourselves behind.

In rural Ontario a small group of teenage girls band together in an empty farmhouse. Each is fleeing from various traumas including abuse, alienation, the death of a beloved brother, and more. Their reclaimed farmhouse becomes both a source of renewal and friction. To deal with the grief and pain in their lives the girls need to let go of parts of themselves that they, or others, are not ready to part with.

Bathed in natural light and atmospheric, The Young Arsonists is set in the 1980s. Director Sheila Pye, who was present for a question-and-answer session after this Toronto International Film Festival showing, said that the film was influenced by people she knew and stories she heard in her younger years. The writing needs improvement and the cast could use a shaking up by Andrea Arnold (Fish Tank), but overall it is an intriguing and poignant film.