Catimini

Powerful stuff, filmed with quiet precision, and so well acted it often feels like a documentary. Though it can certainly be read as an indictment of the policies of the DPJ (the controversial institution charged with protecting abused children in Québec), the film is much more: a unique child's view of an uncaring society, and an audacious look at the way its inability to deal with feeling (in children and adults alike) leads almost inevitably to abuse. It's final third (think "Festen" – but with a twist) is sure to divide audiences, but is of a piece with the rest of this stark, yet surprisingly moving look at childhood in a largely indifferent world. A rare and remarkable film, indeed.