Canada 2018, 52/99 min, HDA GreenGround Production
by Laura Bari
Primas - Courageous Cousins
Two Argentinian teenagers free themselves from the shadows of their past after the abuse and in the wake of heinous acts of violence that interrupted their childhoods. They’re strong and beautiful and not broken - a rich poetic journey through coming of age.In dance, mime, theater and the circus, they express through their bodies what only their imagination, their unique perspective and their unshakable resilience can reveal.
Director's statement:
Fascinated by singularity and difference, I chose film as a way to merge arts, culture, education and mental-health issues. My films aim to consolidate the split between the real and the imaginary, a duality that is an integral part of the human condition – particularly so for the everyday unknown heroes that are the films’ protagonists. Their universes inspire me to tell stories that are beautiful and ugly, despairing and joyful, necessary and uncertain.
With PRIMAS (2017) I complete a trilogy of feature documentary films, (ANTOINE - 2009; ARIEL - 2013) to not only build a zone of common consciousness but also to allow the process of metamorphosis-trough-art to be true; poetry imbues hope in the midst of devastation.
IDFA (Int. Competition), Mar del Plata (Int. Competition, People's Choice Award), Thessaloniki, Istanbul (Competition, Jury Prize), True/False (Recipient True/Life Fund), One World Prague (Competition, Jury Special Mention), Graba (Mendoza), CineLatino Toulouse (Best Doc), Millenium Brussels (Mention special du Jury), Uruguaya, DOK.fest München, Against Gravity, HotDocs, Doxa (Grand Prize), Cevennes, DOK.fest Prize of SOS-Kinderdörfer weltweit (nom.), RIDM (Competition, Jury Special Mention), Graba (Competition, Audience Award), Hot Docs (Audience Award Silence Breakers), Thessaloniki (Competition), Foix