User reviews

Outstanding and well directed story which unfortunately didn't totally convince me due to some setting/plot and acting weakness. I won't spoil the storyline/script problems I found (I assume the english subbing was faithful): they are not really important but prevented me to fully enjoy the film.

G. Filipovic, the absolute protagonist - though a talented mediterranean beauty and a pleasure to watch (the writer/director agrees and indulges in a lot of revealing swimsuit shots) - doesn't always show a proper range. In some instances either fails to convince (not conveying the dramatic tension required in some scenes) or gets out of character (turning from silly girl to wise housewife to plotting homewrecker and back with too much ease) - proving that eyes actually lie.

Overall though, a very good drama about a family living in a secluded villa on the croatian coastline, and inexorably disintegrating when an affluent friend considers investing in the land.

As an insignificant side note: I'd have likely never watched this movie if it hadn't won the Cannes' "camera d'or" prize over "Rien a foutre" which recently made a great impression on me. Another drama about a young woman. Another film that deserves to be watched - though IMO not in the same category.

I enjoyed this film. The picture and scenery looked stunning. The acting was pretty good overall.

But at the same time, I felt this film lacked proper character development, given its subject. The story is about a controlling father and his relationship with his daughter and our main hero Julija. But here is the thing - Julija is shown as very much her own person right from the start. She has a no-nonsense attitude and is happy to tell-off anyone (including her father) whenever she feels like it. If anything, at times it felt like her mother was actually the controlling parent with her constant remarks ("please wear this dress", "please don't speak" and so on).

Since Julija was in command from the start, the whole climax of the film felt rather pointless, or at least disengaging. We already knew she was independent.

That will remind you that the hvratskanian archipelagos is one of the most prescious and beautiful places on earth, warm water clear seas, and finally a film with an actor that really knows how to swim (im a swimfan you know), good looking she is too to say the least, a film about a small family that is on the brink of devastation, a dominant and commanding kinda psychopath, seaworthy but landfast captain of the sea, a fragile daughter whos adolescence and urge to break free is imminent, and where the mother stands helpless inbetween them both. When a long lost friend visits everything turns cataclysmic..-.

Its an european art movie that will be praised by most critics, even by the grumpy old man, who dove a lot in this area when a young boy, still feeling the itching spikes of the black sea urchins of paradise. A film to watch for natural beauty, both human and scenic, great filmography and a sore and at times agonizing and asphyxiating on the issues of family relations.

Julija loves the sea and to foray, but is she the metaphorical moray, trapped in a creel, caught on a reel, with a father that treats her as quarry.

Beautiful film, top drawer performances, growing up can be tough!

I found the father figure infuriating, but it provoked such a strong reaction. Its a movie about family strife, and it does that very well. Also, the will to overcome adversity in adolescence. Settings beautiful and acting was impressive.

Adolescence is a time for finding oneself, especially when it comes to our sense of personal power. That's rarely easy, but it can be especially difficult for a teenage girl trapped in a household with a chauvinistic father, a condition not uncommon in many traditional Eastern European households. Such is the fate of a quiet but independently minded Croatian adolescent who longs for freedom from under the thumb of her domineering dad and capitulating mother. But the potential for profound change arises when a wealthy old friend of her father pays a visit to their coastal fishing village, one that could transform her life and that of her mother, provided they have the courage to act on it. Director Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic's debut feature from Executive Producer Martin Scorsese presents an intense, intimate character study of an individual's search for empowerment in the face of oppressing odds and confusing circumstances that, like the clandestine behavior of the moray eels she and her father routinely hunt, deceptively conceal much of what's actually going on. This winner of the 2021 Cannes Film Festival Golden Camera Award for best first feature simmers slowly but builds tension well, engaging viewers handily, despite some repetitive narrative elements and occasional "atmospheric" camera work whose deliberate murkiness goes a little overboard in metaphorically depicting the intended character of the story. A number of films with themes similar to those explored here have emerged from this region in recent years, such as "Hive" (2021) and "God Exists, Her Name is Petrunya" (2019). That's an indication that there's a need for the expression of these notions, and, thankfully, filmmakers have successfully risen to the occasion, making the world more aware about conditions for women desperately in need of reform.

Writer/Director Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic's debut feature is all it could be from a director who also used to dive in the film's idyllic Croatian coast setting.

This films builds on the director's underwater camera work in her enjoyable short Into the Blue (2017), and in acting and screen presence of actress Gracija Filipovic. This feature was in fact written with this teenage actor/non-actor in mind after the short. Gracia was 12 yr old then and showed promise and shines 4 years later in this character study.

The story has strong writing as it tackles teenage rebellion, family and relationship dynamics with evolving dreams of love, sexuality, freedom and purpose.

The father, mother and daughter relationships are complicated in this small village and when a wealthy, well-travelled long-time friend comes to spend some time with the family, much is revealed of the desires and dissatisfactions of all three family members.

The directing, cinematography and editing of this evolving drama are so strong that every shot of the 96 min movie is a pleasure. The acting is nuanced and elevated from the four leads. The underwater shots are beautiful and tell the story with images, sounds and occasional music. The first and final long shots of the movie tell a tight story visually that induce emotions viscerally and intellectually.

It is no surprise that the film won Camera d'Or at Cannes and over 20 other awards in 65 film festival worldwide.

Looking forward to Antoneta's next film which centers on a mother and daughter relationship and perhaps also catching some of her previous shorts, including If We Must Die (2016).

In short, this is a melancholic, beautiful drama with stunning cinematography and deft directing. A simple story with substance. Highly recommended.

Cowriter (with Frank Graziano)/director Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic's Camera d'or winning feature debut recharges the coming-of-age story with multi-generational sexual heat and a constant threat of danger in a sun-splashed, Adriatic setting. Before the man Ante describes as 'god on earth' arrives, Julija dutifully accompanies her father to spearfish for the titular eels before returning to her room where she watches vacationing teenagers flirt on a yacht below her window.

When she's not capturing the sparkling sea and dramatic underwater scenes, cinematographer Hélène Louvart ("The Lost Daughter") uses angles like these to add weight to the viewer's point of view - Murina will look down again from a height at a very different type of flirting (and we will gaze up at her, a statuesque sea nymph in an aqua one piece). There will also be tight spaces promising danger, like the rocks Ante recklessly pilots a boat through or the underwater crevice Julija risks for an escape.

Then Javier arrives and he appears to be everything Ante is not, appreciative of the women's beauty, encouraging Julija to expand her dreams and think of going to Harvard. Javier's attentions make Julija bolder and Ante angrier. Julija tells Nela that Javier is obviously in love with her and that they should leave with him, but the older beauty knows better. Afraid that his daughter's rebellious behavior will sink his business deal, Ante does what she's been accusing him of wanting to do, literally locking her up in a boathouse. The man needs to watch his back.

Kusijanovic counters sensuality with tension throughout, accentuated by the tautly vibrating violins of "Loveless" composers Evgueni and Sasha Galperine. The overlapping interplay of two sets of three, the dysfunctional family and the flirtatious love triangle, is beautifully acted, Filipovic wordlessly displaying mercurial emotions between the extremes of Lucev and Curtis. "Murina" is a bold and beautiful expression of one young woman's bolt for freedom.

Is there any Croatian director who will make a film (for a change) that doesn't present Croatians as miserable, tormented, depressed and sad people?

This is another film with dominate and primitive male muscling his frustrations over poor and afflicted women.

Croatia is a beautiful country, all in all Croats have better living conditions and lives than majority countries in the world, yet suffering and depression is forced in every single film and why is that will never be clear to me.

In addition, the film is difficult to watch at times due to poor lighting.

On positive side- emotions are quite well portrayed. All actors did a pretty good job.

All in all this movie reminded me why I dislike Croatian films- more or less they are all the same.

Felt uncomfortable watching this even ten minutes in.

One of the guys says to the dad. . .why your daughter walking around naked to provoke people.

Then you have the friend arrive pawing all over the main protagonist. Add all this to the amount of times you hear her name in the first ten minutes this out me off watching.

A lovely film that transports you back to summer , , also a well performed and excellently written and directed film.

Essentially, it tells the story of a young woman and her domineering father on vacation in Croatia, swimming, snorkelling and seemingly following his expectations for her future, that is until a an old friend of the family comes along and sees how she is being stifled by her own father, so tries to help her break out and find her own potential. The results are tense and dramatically powerful but ring true as an honest coming of age tale. It's all wonderfully done and with a real sense of location, summer, youth and beauty. Well worth a watch.

I was bored.

Aside from killing an animal on camera which is absolutely unacceptable.

The movie was beyond boring. So boring it makes you angry.... when will they get to the point? I won't give the horrible movie the dignity of explain the sexual inappropriateness. Even if I did it clearly didn't work The story was unbelievable

They don't!

The underwater scenes seem to be the absolute only thing that was mildly tolerable.

There was no pay off at the end The charters were unlikable The actors seemed to start better than they can act.

This movie should be banned to the talentless staff crew director and ensemble cast.

Never do a movie again

Wast of time.

It is good to finally watch a Croatian movie with realistic, believable characters and situations. The location, for once, was well used. The (mostly) calm, vast sea is in contrast with the tempest inside characters and them being confined to a lone home on the island. The similarity of the barren Kornati islands are in contrast to complex personas, all different from each other. Having small parts of the plot underwater was amazing, underwater shots are certainly underutilized in cinema.

The three main characters are well fleshed out, effectively using simple dialogues and body language. Majority of conversations like these certainly do happen in Dalmatia. Curcic, who is a Serbian-born Danish actress, had no accent at all, which was great. Lots of details ensured the movie feels authentic, for example it was crucial for the main character to know to swim well. Gracija and the director already made a short movie set by/in the sea, so it's not a surprise.

I only have few small things to complain about. The first one is the nudity (which I have nothing against), which felt forced with the camera angle that was used. In the interview I read, the director said she did it on purpose because there are certain expectations on how women should film and portray other women, and she wanted to break those stereotypes. In the end, her personal frustrations translated to few distracting scenes.

The second, more important, is the scene before the last, where the director went close to cheap sensationalism. I thought it wasn't necessary. I am fine with the last shot and how the movie "resolved", but a little bit less because of the scene beforehand.

For those who are not Croatians, the crosses on the island were made to commemorate the tragic deaths of young firefighters who died in an accident there more than a decade ago.

P. S. The director said she went "gentle" on Ante and that fathers are "much worse in reality in Croatia". What a sick and untruthful comment from a typical self-loathing modern feminist educated in the West.

Regardless of your or the director's ideology, the movie is absolutely worthy of your attention.

I took a shot at this Croation drama as I have a blood connection to that country from my mother's side of the family. She grew up with a mother and father who spoke Serbo-Croation and learned English at the age of five in the New York City school system. The scenery of the Adriatic coast is spectacular but the story is nothing new or special as a seventeen year-old girl is controlled by her domineering father. A former boss visits his island home and the fireworks begin when the guest is shown to have had a relationship with the girl's mother. The actors are all fine and the underwater sequences nice but, in the end I was left unhappy with the ambiguous ending.

This film, by an acclaimed and very promising director, conveys its story beautifully and with incredible acting.

Each one of the cast do an incredible job, and are directed to perfection.

The cinematography is very unique and interesting, characteristic of the director one might say. It is truly a beautiful and thourough piece of art to experience.

Overall, a great film with a great heart that is definitely recommended for any lover of film, and a very beautifully put together film in every sense of the word, in terms of both technical, artistic and thematic details.

Very emotional, very well written.

The director and the actors did a great job getting the feelings of each person on the surface. Suddenly, in the so-called East democracies we live along with the referred in the film stereotypes. A fair criticism to the patriarchal family which oppresses mainly the female members whose unhappiness inevitably drives to a miserable if not unloving family. See the twenty-first century shame through the eyes of a girl which is taught to suppress it's freedom... but decides to claim the happiness everyone stole her... Deserved the awards it got, beautiful landscapes. The ending left me feeling optimistic!

This is practically the same story without good script or bugdet thats it. Dont fall into the same Trap like I was also do wasting of my time with pretentious movie Quite Staring at My Plate. Please dont bother with this, the most Croatians movies are all the same with pathetic melodramas the same Turkish soap opera nowadays that you wanted to smash TV into the pieces with huge hammer. I give this 2 put 10 because I would rather Serbian Film instead of pretentious pile of garbage because I knew this is have the same Trap like Quite Staring at My Plate was. You really wanted/or wanna good to watch? Watch Serbian Film or anything like that. And stay away from it if you didn't want to suffer like I was.