Playground
Sunday, November 2, 2025 11:23:58 PM | (Age Not Specified)
This movie is a hidden gem. It‘s short in runtime on paper, but it’s *very* dense - and quite intense at times. Having been bullied in school myself quite a bit, it hits plenty of de-javu moments. We follow Nora and her older brother Abel on their daily journey on the schoolyard, supposedly a place where you can play and relax, but also a place where hierarchies are established. Antoine is probably your best candidate for a frequent guest at the local jail, but he ranks high in the current pecking order to be the Alpha male. The interactions between Nora and Abel are heartbreaking, she wants to help, he wants to fit in. Sounds familiar? The adults are between helpless and ignorant (the latter especially the senior teacher), only Madame Agnès seems to really „get“ Nora. Abel takes some frightening turns, but in the very last scene I‘d say redeems himself. Excellent movie depicting the inner struggle between the animal within us and the compassion we should be able to feel to better each other.
