Kiss & Cry

Dir. Lila Pinell, Chloé Mahieu, 2017, France, Iceland, 80min, Color
Starring Sarah Bramms, Xavier Dias, Dinara Droukarova, Carla-Marie Santerre, Aurélie Faula, Amanda Pierre, Noémie Carroué, Cassandra Perotin, Ilana Bramms
In French with English subtitles

This narrative film following a 15-year-old figure skater is shot in the style of a documentary, immersing the audience into the cutthroat world of the competitive sport. The cast is comprised of real-life skaters, and focuses on the day-to-day struggles and adolescent desires of Sarah (Sarah Bramms), who has returned to Colmar, France for seasonal instruction with her vicious trainer Xavier (Xavier Dias). The teen must contend with the violence of her high-level sport, rivalry among the other competitors, and the strict schedule imposed by her mother (Dinara Drukarova)—but, along with the lows, she also experiences the highs of bonding with her skating sisterhood and budding first love.