Unclenching the Fists ( Human Drama/ 2021/ Mubi)
Director -Kira Kovalenko
Cast -Milana Aguzarova
A human drama that follows a girl navigating a stifling life with a tyrannical father .
In a small town in Russia, beautiful, quiet, shy and docile girl Ada, lives with her younger brother and selfish domineering father.She has aspirations and dreams like a normal teenager but has an oppressive life and a crippling health setback.
Allowed out only for work, she has a claustrophobic life at home ,doesn’t have access to her passport and is not allowed to have a surgery to cure a physical incapacity she suffers as a blast victim in childhood. She hopes that her elder brother who works in a nearby city could help her get her treatment and some leeway in life.
The film takes us through her story till she is able to unclench the fists holding her down.
Director Kira Kovalenko paints a picture of Ada’s life that is traumatic, evokes compassion and seems gloomy. But she also balances it with Ada’s smiles, her friendship ,her playful relationship with her younger brother and her coy interludes with a boy trying to woo her.As the story progresses , we start to see her resilience, courage, hopes and dreams.
Notice that the frames are dark ,claustrophobic and the camerawork closer up when she’s at home but hey are bright and I would say rather normal when she’s in the outside world. While she is quiet, timid and obedient at home, in the outside world, she is smiling and playful.
When her brother comes back from the city, she implores and insists for help. As her father’s health deteriorates, we see her rebellious streak craving for freedom.
Milana is phenomenal as Ada. In a very understated delivery, she portrays the different shades of her character in a way that wins our heart and compassion but not pity. We see a calm and coy girl living a regimented and physically limiting life but there’s courage beneath the surface even when she seems to cower.
Another good aspect of the film is that it never resorts to melodrama or emotional encashment of the audience. Kira choses to show Ada’s life with a neutral gaze and rather focuses on her internal and external struggle. She imparts a buoyancy to Ada ‘s character that doesn’t let us feel heavy.
Go for it if niche human dramas that give a peep into different cultures , lives and characters, appeal to you.
BHAVNA TALKIES 