Rent In Bloom (2013)

A woman director's skills in full bloom - In Bloom review by TE

Here comes a polar opposite review to the other one on here (by "Alphaville").

'In Bloom' is a powerfully engaging coming of age drama by the very talented Nana Ekvtimishvili, whose more recent film, 'A Happy Family', has to be one of the outstanding world films so far this century.

Ekvtimishvili examines the changing roles of women in the male-dominated, ultra-conventional culture of Georgia. Here her young female lead actors give brilliant performances. Most of the cast are not professional actors and the whole film has a convincingly naturalistic feel.

There are subtle references to the politics of the region in the immediate aftermath of the break-up of the Soviet Union, but it is the vibrant personal stories that resonate the most.

Boring social realism - In Bloom review by Alphaville

A coming-of-age film about two teenage girls growing up in Georgia (the country, not the US state) in 1992. If you’re looking for another Mustang, forget it. This is the polar opposite of that brilliant film. Based on an autobiographical script by one of the directors, this is social realism filmed as documentary. Nothing much happens with zero cinematic style. The trailer misleadingly tempts prospective viewers with a gun, but you’ll be bored stiff long before that puts in an appearance.