Es Esmu Seit (2016)

	Also Known As: Mellow Mud, Ich bin hier
	Year of first release: 2016
	Director: Renars Vimba
	Actors: Elina Vaska, Andzejs Lilientals, Ruta Birgere, Edgars Samitis
	Country: LV
	Genre: Drama
	Conditions of visioning: 05.11.2016, CineStar 1, NFDL2016, Latvian with English subtitles
Synopsis: 17-year-old Raya (Vaska) and her younger brother Robis (Lilientals) have to live with their grandmother. The old lady (Birgere) sells off the family apple farm to pay off family debts. Raya is enraged; she cuts school and doesn’t do any homework. Then one night, she comes home late and finds her grandmother dead on the floor. To avoid ending up in a juvenile home, Raya and Robis secretly bury the body. From then on, they must make it on their own. They find themselves increasingly short of money and food, and Raya has to take responsibility for her brother. She comes up with a plan – she decides to find their mother, who emigrated to England, and bring her back home. Her English teacher Oskars (Samitis) will help her thanks to her good marks.
Review:  The originality is in the plot. How manage these kids to survive without adults? The movie becomes a diary of the answer to that question. At the same time they are both growing and she is becoming an adult. A lot of the harsh situation of Latvian people is depicted. Being forced to leave their country to make money, people staying in Latvia abandonned, extreme poverty of the elderly. The romance with the teacher is not really bringing the story further apart from giving to Raya some quiet moments. The casting for both young actors required to meet 2000 teenagers, as confirmed by the director during the Q&A after the movie. The acting is blowing. Elina Vaska can be tough and charming from one scene to the next. I am pretty sure that she will be cst in other European movies soon. Andzejs Lilientals's role is slightly secondary but played with authenticity, as well as the interactions between both.  The directing is good. Making these actors act like that, and having a subtle camera driving to follow the characters. These are very positive points.
Rating: 7 /10