Mermaid (Russia)

The first film I've seen this year at SIFF 2008 - though of course at a press screening as the festival hasn't officially started yet. I'm only 5 screenings in but I think this is my favorite so far. Since I'm playing catchup I'll take the easy way out and let the official festival guide summarize, "A fanciful urban fairytale about Alisa, a girl who lives in a seaside shack with her mom and grandma and who has special talents—she can influence the weather and make wishes come true. Dubbed the Russian Amèlie, Mermaid grapples with love, modernity, and the materialism of New Russia." I could probably provide some further analysis but I think it's worth it to just go and check it out. The Amelie comparison is more about the visual style than the content. So don't quite expect the same warm feeling after the film as you had in the French "version." But it's interesting to watch and far more engaging than a lot of the Russian fare of SIFF's past.

Playing at SIFF on May 24th and 26th