Murina

"An exceptional debut…If Patricia Highsmith had ever written a coming-of-age story set on the rocky, clear-watered Croatian coastline, it might have looked a lot like Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović’s bright, brooding debut. The perfect, darkly dazzling vehicle for a sunshine noir." —Jessica Kiang, Variety

"A moody and mysterious drama with hidden depths." —Laura Venning, Little White Lies

On a remote island along Croatia's Adriatic coast, 17-year-old Julija spends her days diving for eel with her domineering father Ante and watching other teens party on a nearby yacht. Julija bristles at Ante's heavy-handed cruelty and resents her mother Nela's passivity. She longs for independence but is unsure how to achieve it, until the arrival of the rich and mysterious Javier seems to offer a way out. Javier is considering buying Ante's land to build a resort, which would allow the family to escape their island isolation for the city. Once Ante's employer and Nela's lover, Javier flirts shamelessly with Nela and Julija, setting off a subtle battle of hypermasculine one-upmanship that pushes Ante to humiliate and control Julija even more. Flattered by Javier's praise and stories of traveling the world, Julija sees him as the solution to all her problems. But does his affection portend freedom, or something more sinister?

Winner of the Caméra d'Or (Best First Film) at the Cannes Film Festival, lensed by award-winning cinematographer Hélène Louvart (The Lost Daughter, Never Rarely Sometimes Always), and executive produced by Martin Scorsese, Murina features a ferocious, star-making central performance by Gracija Filipovic and the most sumptuous images of the Mediterranean since The Big Blue. Equal parts fiery feminist outcry and stirring coming-of-age drama, the film announces director Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic as a major new talent in world cinema.

Tickets to these screenings are $12.75 and under. Cinema members pay only $8.

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