Big Picture Big Sound

Great Group!

Madre - Spain, dir. Rodrigo Sorogoyen
Fauve - Canada, dir. Jeremy Comte
Marguerite - Canada, dir. Marianne Farley
Detainment - Ireland, dir. Vincent Lambe
Skin - USA, dir. Guy Nattiv

In my decade or so of covering this category, this is probably the best group of films I have seen, and I hope you can get to see all of them. To me, "Madre" is the best one, but I would have no issue if any one of four of them won, which means Skin will probably take it.

"Madre" A single mother receives a call from her seven-year-old son who is on vacation with his father in the French Basque Country. At first the call is a cause for joy, but soon it becomes a horrible nightmare when the child tells her that he is alone and cannot find his father, who left a while ago. Totally gripping and

psychologically terrifying, especially for women who have young children. 4 Stars

"Fauve" Set in a surface mine, this film is about two boys who sink into a seemingly innocent power game with Mother Nature as the sole observer. Alone in the wild, the two boys play around. Complicity evolves into a confrontation where one wants to have power over the other. Taking on proportions larger than nature, this game will not prove as harmless as they thought. Another emotionally jarring tale, this time with two young boys. 3.5 Stars

"Marguerite" An aging woman develops a friendship with her nurse that inspires her to unearth unacknowledged longing, and thus help her make peace with her past. Incredibly gentle and truly touching. 3.5 Stars

"Detainment" Two ten year-old boys are detained by police under suspicion of abducting and murdering a toddler. A true story based on interview transcripts from the James Bulger case, which shocked the world in 1993 and continues to incite public outrage across the UK today. Yet another blast to the senses featuring young children. A peek inside pure evil and emotionally damaged children. 4 Stars

"Skin" At a small supermarket in a blue collar town, a black man smiles at a 10 year old white boy across the checkout aisle. This innocuous moment sends two gangs into a ruthless war that ends with a shocking backlash. Another one where the audience is blasted by how evil people can be. This time it's adults. Edge of your seat, but you get an idea from its beginning where it's going, despite its interesting twist. 3 Stars