Coming-of-age tales are a staple of Hollywood, and have proved to be certainly one of its most various and evergreen genres. The tales can take the type of comedies like Dazed and Confused or Clueless, extra dramatic turns like The 400 Blows or The Graduate, or someplace in between with Stand By Me, The Breakfast Club, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower. The underlying similarities between them are thematic, centering across the generally joyful, generally heartbreaking, virtually all the time sophisticated adjustments that happen within the transition from childhood to maturity, and the way these change the person. 2021’s Murina completely suits into this mildew with its personal distinctive spin on the method.

While the movie marks the debut characteristic effort from Croatian-born director Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović, the Martin Scorsese producer credit score garnered the movie extra mainstream consideration, permitting for it to achieve extra momentum (together with its Cannes Caméra d’Or win). Following a teenage woman’s tumultuous journey across the Croatian coast together with her dad and mom, the movie permits the viewers to develop with the protagonist, as she discovers disheartening truths about grownup relationships and the difficulties (but in addition the need) of changing into an impartial grownup.

Murina (2021)

In a distant Croatian village, a younger woman named Julija yearns for freedom from her oppressive household life. When an previous household pal arrives, secrets and techniques are unveiled, and Julija sees a likelihood to interrupt free and uncover her personal path.

Release Date

April 8, 2022

Director

Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic

Runtime

96 Minutes

Cast

Gracija Filipovic , Leon Lucev , Danica Curcic , Cliff Curtis , Jonas Smulders , Niksa Butijer , Jasenka Bosnic , Milan Strljic

Main Genre

Drama

Writers

Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic , Frank Graziano

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What Is ‘Murina’ About?

Murina follows Julija (performed by Gracija Filipović) as she travels round attractive Croatian islands and coastal locales together with her dad and mom, whereas her father intently tries to shut a enterprise take care of an previous affiliate (affiliate being a essentially imprecise description, as his relationship with the household is revealed to be sophisticated). Throughout this journey, Julija constantly butts heads together with her impolite and domineering father, which results in an uncomfortable pressure consistently simmering beneath the floor of all of the household’s interactions. This dynamic is barely sophisticated by the daddy’s affiliate’s presence (who appears to supply another life path for Julija) as tensions additionally start to construct between him and the daddy.

Throughout the story, the enterprise dealings of the grownup world occupy the background, emblematic of how the movie is being instructed from Julija’s younger standpoint and the way this stuff don’t curiosity her. Her focus is on her future, her freedom, and her frustrations together with her household. The awkward power that exists all through many of the movie as a result of household’s interactions makes a few of it uncomfortable to look at, however it permits the viewers to discover their sophisticated private dynamics, notably between a teenager on the cusp of maturity having to “love” a household she won’t notably like. Through Filipović’s efficiency, the viewers also can discover that coming-of-age transition, as Julija is at occasions immature in her world view, but in addition sympathetic and relatable to anybody in a related place or somebody who was at one level on the similar kind of life crossroads.

‘Murina’ Showcases the Complications of Adulthood

Julija’s journey within the movie highlights an vital understanding that anybody rising up has to study: the grownup world is sophisticated and oftentimes contradictory. Julija watches as her father transforms from the cruel, disagreeable man she is aware of into a crowd-pleasing host attempting to place on a picture of home happiness, exhibiting her public affection versus how he treats her in personal. Beyond her father, although, she has to come back to phrases with how life isn’t so simple as one would think about or, frankly, hope as a youngster. The household affiliate who comes to go to initially looks like a beacon of sunshine, a good instance of how simple and enjoyable life might be, and a likelihood at escape. However, a journal cowl that includes the person with the phrases “The Ruthless Icon” emblazoned throughout the entrance foreshadows that his position in her life (and her father’s and mom’s as effectively) will not be as lower and dried as she would wish to imagine.

Julija additionally berates her mom all through the movie for her alternative to stick with the daddy, highlighting not solely the continued and relatable pressure between guardian and youngster at these turning level moments in life, but in addition Julija’s naïveté and simplistic view of the world. She doesn’t keep in mind different components, together with her mom’s personal emotions or life circumstances, seeing solely the scenario by her personal tunnel imaginative and prescient introduced on by anger. This lack of perspective carries over to her view of her personal circumstances. One poignant second of the movie is when Julija exclaims, with some tried authority, “I can do what I want,” however it comes off so plainly impotent and missing true confidence (that is exactly confirmed by her returning to her household atmosphere solely moments later). There needs to be no mistake although, Julija is rarely unlikable; her scenario is certainly troubling and he or she is a very sympathetic character. It is her world view and the way she will be able to method what’s bothering her that, regardless of how emotionally troublesome it could be, must be addressed and develop into the catalyst for her progress all through the movie.

The Significance of Water in ‘Murina’

Murina constantly returns to the attractive waters surrounding Julija’s journey, and never solely does this permit for the visually gorgeous aesthetic a lot of the movie has, however it additionally serves a symbolic function. The water (and the act of diving) are clearly an escape for Julija, a secure house, splendidly illustrated in among the diving sequences’ quiet magic, notably one during which Julija sees an previous sunken ship. The water’s transient properties, flowing from one place to a different in countless movement, are a part of what attracts Julija to it a lot, each an thrilling freedom and a calm movement that’s not current in her household life.

The water’s position goes past this although, because it intertwines together with her strained relationship together with her father. The two dive and go spearfishing collectively, and below the water they’re equal: there’s no speaking, no arguing, no intimidation; they merely exist. If something, Julija being armed with a speargun offers her some form of energy that goes unstated and maybe unnoticed by the daddy (however not by her).

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One of the movie’s most memorable scenes brings this water motif to the forefront, in a harrowing sequence of near-drowning throughout which a number of reversals occur: the water is now not an escape however turns into a scary hazard, and the absence of Julija’s household is now a nightmare slightly than her dream. Through the despair and horror of this second, Julija is compelled into discovering whether or not or not she will be able to actually be an impartial grownup, or if the whole lot she has been saying to this point has merely been the wishful considering of a helpless youngster. To do that entails her reclaiming her love of the water, in a method she wouldn’t have dared to strive if it was not mandatory.

Murina delves into acquainted themes of minor rise up that develops into an uncomfortable data of what changing into an impartial grownup will actually entail, however it does it in a uniquely satisfying method, each stylistically and in a narrative sense. Thanks to Filipović’s efficiency, Julija’s journey from annoyed teenager to younger grownup on the trail to changing into their very own individual is a wonderful and underrated watch effectively price trying out.

Murina is presently accessible to stream on Kanopy within the U.S.

WATCH ON KANOPY