Dita, who, despite never aspiring to be a mother, finds herself compelled to raise her girlfriend’s two daughters—Mia, a tiny troublemaker, and Vanesa, a rebellious teenager. As their individual wills clash, a heartwarming story unfolds about an unlikely family's struggle to stay together.
I did not know anything about the director and the movie. Just thought of giving it a try and I was pleasantly surprised
The mixture of different kind of people coming together with their own flaws and strengths made me deeply moved. It just symbolised to me the whole humanity.
It made me think and learn more about the Roma people by googling. It subtly teaches you to be empathetic, to be calm with chaos around and basically every human is same. Longs for love, affection at the same time battling with one's ego.
few nitpicks: music seemed to be lacking. Yes without music movie seems more realistic/documentary-like but it can be used to enhance the emotional depth IMO.
Reviewed by craigbrendan-462548 / 10
A deftly crafted universal tale
Australians had better start claiming this gifted writer/director as one of their own quick-smart. This is Goran Stolevski's 3rd feature release in as many years. He has a knack for authentic, energetic stories fleshed with deeply flawed, funny, evolving characters. He is also a wonderful storyteller. In lesser hands, this could be a well-worn tale of misfits and society's marginalia finding a place to call home. But in Stolevski's deft hands, we get carried into a universal tumble-dryer about everybody's family and our need for a place where we can need and want and feel. The performances he manages to get out of his 5 year-old scene stealer and the cast of dozens of untrained actors is a masterclass for up-and-coming film-makers. Stolevski's raw, intimate cinematography and energetic editing complete the showcase of instincts this talented film-maker is blessed with. I hope he starts to get the attention he deserves.
Reviewed by chong_an7 / 10
Interesting ongoing story of "my rainbow blended family"
Dita is a white woman with a gypsy lesbian lover Suada, and Suada's daughters by different fathers - Vanessa in grade 9, and Mia aged 5. Also in the apartment is Dita's white gay friend Toni, and his new boy-toy, the gypsy Ali. Both Suada and Ali hail from Shutka, the gypsy (Roma) municipality, and at times Ali manages to play fixer.
Aware that she may die of cancer, and having experienced racial discrimination in earlier life, Suada tries to get her girls to recognize Dita as mother and Toni as father, and even gets Toni's name on their birth certificates. But when she dies, Mia bonds with Ali, while Vanessa rejects this family, wanting either to "go home" to grandma, or to marry a boy who is going abroad.
This film likely hits themes that are more relevant in North Macedonia than in Canada, but still is an interesting exposition of the life of minorities. There are dual themes of discrimination by ethnicity and sexuality. There is a brief scene where Dita "straightens out" her living room and Toni, expecting police to show up after Vanessa acts out. But the scenarios are believable, and the performances good, especially Mia, whose role was written well for her.
The dialog in Shutka is tricky, as there is Romany mixed in, and the subtitles don't show the language differences, making me scramble to try to figure out what language was being spoken. Also, some of the hand-held camera work was a bit shaky.
