Falena
2022 · 16m · Canada
Directed by Nancy Pettinicchio
Genres: coming-of-age, drama, LGBTQ+
Tones: melancholic, surreal, tender
A young woman about to leave her suburban Montreal hometown discovers a nude photograph at a neighbor's yard sale, sparking an exploration of photography, self-portraiture, and ambiguous intimacy that complicates her closest friendship.
Picked by Margot
The scouts
Last-summer-before-leaving, yard-sale nude photograph, ambiguous queer friendship. Portrait of a Lady on Fire is the laziest comp imaginable for this setup. I'll give it a chance for the photography metaphor.
Pettinicchio framing a found nude photograph as the trigger for self-portraiture and quietly queer last-summer atmosphere — Sciamma's Portrait of a Lady on Fire is the comparison being claimed, which is bold. The page is gated; the premise reads sincere if perhaps familiar.
Page is gated, only a trailer link available. The premise — discovered nude photo as catalyst for queerly-tinged last-summer self-portraiture — has the wistful texture the comparison to Portrait of a Lady on Fire is reaching for, but 16 minutes is a long sit for a mood piece without verification.
Reviews
The universal queer fantasy of befriending the old eccentric lady with the messy plant-filled witchy cottagecore aesthetic house.
Would make for a wonderful feature film — an adorable and atmospheric exploration of intimacy and identity.
Festivals
- Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival 2022
- Palm Springs International ShortFest 2022
- Whistler Film Festival 2022