In Bloom

Early nineties, in Tbilisi, the capital of the newly independent Georgia after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The country is immersed in violence there's a war on the Black Sea coast in Abkhazia, and vigilante justice plagues society. But for Eka and Natia, fourteen-year-old inseparable friends, life just unfolds: in the street, at school, with friends or elder sisters who are already dealing with menís dominance, early marriage and disillusioned love. For these two girls in bloom life just goes on... Ekvtimishvili's semi-autobiographical coming-of-ager is one of the most impressive debut films of recent years, exhibiting an impeccable flair for subtle narrative including the most imaginative use of a gun in recent memory while Oleg Mutu's cinematography, including countless intricate plans séquences, further builds on the reputation he established on films such as THE DEATH OF MR. LAZARESCU and 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS. (Big World Pictures)