Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Gross’ In Bloom is an evocative coming-of-age drama set in a world teetering on the brink of uncertain catastrophe.
Taking place in Georgia during the 1992 Civil War, it follows teenage girls Eka (Lika Babluani) and Natia (Mariam Bokeria) as they navigate the perils of growing up in such a tumultuous place.
The story is structured into small vignettes that collectively paint a powerful picture of what life is like for Eka and Natia. Most scenes involve lingering tracking shots that follow the girls through the trials of their daily lives. Each scene adds depth to the ones that came before it and their length is both technically impressive and an effective tool that the film uses to draw you in.
In Bloom’s Georgian backdrop is also used to great effect throughout. The cinematography serves as a constant reminder that the foundations of Eka and Natia’s collective world are just as uncertain as their individual, personal ones. It’s an endeavour aided greatly by the strong chemistry between the film’s leads. Babluani and Bokeria convey the friendship between their characters with a great sense of authenticity, and towards the end, dramatic gravity and sorrow.
At its best, In Bloom feels like a fantastically defamiliarised coming-of-age narrative set in a true environment that could all fall apart at any second. The pacing is occasionally a little leisurely but otherwise it’s an entrancing view into an adolescence entirely unlike anything Hollywood has to offer at the moment.
3.5/5 stars
In Bloom opens in cinemas on Thursday September 25.
