Ivalu

Ivalu, a Danish short live-action film up for an Oscar in 2023, is a story of grief, abuse and a strong sisterly bond.

While this film quietly and efficiently tells its story of connection, it does so - in my opinion - by sacrificing some of the impact of the dreadful horrors the girls endured.

The subtext is not subtle enough to be interesting, and comes across to me as a kind of dark fairytale, when I think it would have been more impactful to address the reality of abuse.

It shouldn't be about so much was lost, but what was taken.

But that's my take, and the film isn't made for me. This is a film I'm sure will be received by many as beautifully poignant, and they would have every justification to think that.

Mila Heilmann Kreutzmann's big sister has gone missing, so she wanders around Greenland looking for her between school, home, and a visit by the Queen. She is shadowed by, or perhaps pursues, a large raven.

Based on a graphic novel, this is a slow-moving sixteen minutes that gives you plenty of time to appreciate the stark beauty of Greenland, a glacier or two, and its ice-scoured rocks. It's also long enough to induce some personal anxiety as the main character seems to be pretty slow in realizing what is going on, which is not a story-telling technique that appeals to me. I don't think it's good form for an audience member to shout advice to a character on screen. Still, kudos to cinematographer Rasmus Heise.