Children

CHILDREN is the first film to the highly successfully and critically acclaimed Icelandic two-parter (PARENTS, also showing in the 32nd CIFF, is the second part) filmed in stunning black and white. Both films can be seen independently of each other, but that's just like having cookies without the milk. Where PARENTS is lightly strewn with sarcastic and ironic comedic effect, CHILDREN is defined by the sheer intensity of its acting and cinematography. Karitas, a struggling single mother trying to raise four children while in a custody battle against her ex-husband, Gardar. And then there is her 12-year-old, Gudman, whose only friend is a 40-year-old schizophrenic neighbor, Marino. Meanwhile, Gardar decides to make a fresh start by seeking out Gudmund, who he has never met. A gritty film set in lower class Iceland, Children is a compelling drama that explores the often difficult, and sometimes extreme, relationships between parents and children. – K.L.