Sister | 2019 Warsaw International Film Festival Review

Little Women: Tsotsorkova Poetic Study of Female Solidarity

Svetla Tsotsorkova’s assured sophomore feature proves that the Bulgarian filmmaker has an unparalleled eye for the raw, tactile and emotional female experience. A tender, thought-provoking piece that brings up difficult topics, Sister displays how society shames promiscuity among women to jealousy between siblings.

Teenager Rayana (a steely-eyed, passionate Monika Naydenova) lives with her mother and older sister, spending her days toiling over the clay figurines that her family sells to make a living. As the heroine sells her humble creations to passerby tourists, she tells the customers harmless and hilarious lies about her miserable existence, persuading them to give her more money. These stories provide some welcome comic relief for the viewer, especially at the onset, when we are shown a witty montage of shocked customers listening to the imaginative girl.

The lies distract Rayana from her routine, letting her imagine a more eventful life far away from all the dullness and hard work. Bored with her day to day life and jealous of her sibling’s romantic adventures, Rayana concocts yet another fantasy – she suddenly claims to be having having an illicit affair with her sister’s boyfriend. The consequences of this lie soon turn out to be catastrophic, provoking conflict inside the family and forcing the protagonist to embark on a symbolic quest.

Despite her strange compulsion, Rayana is a sympathetic teenage heroine – plucky, confident and yet sensitive. She would have not been out of place among Sofia Coppola’s characters, even if her background is decidedly more working-class. Female characters are seldom allowed to be prickly and difficult, and it’s refreshing to see a multifaceted, sometimes even strange protagonist. Thanks to Naydenova’s impressive skill, we can witness the pain and desire to be understood behind Rayana’s pranks – whenever she tells another set of lies, her eyes express a melancholy and a chilling loneliness.

While the subject matter is quite dramatic, Tsotsorkova adopts a steady, balanced approach to the material. The conflicts between characters never seem rushed, or forced – they develop slowly, naturally, almost as if we were watching an ancient tragedy. Everything has its time and place – frantic, emotional scenes are intercut with calm, observational shots of Bulgarian landscapes and rustic everyday life. The stillness of the films is highlighted by the eclectic choice of music – most scenes are scored with classical pieces, which make these everyday struggles and revelations seem grandiose and even more dramatic. In this respect, the film is obviously inspired by Yorgos Lanthimos’ earlier works, even though Tsotsorkova’s story is more intimate in scale.

Sister is a poignant, dryly funny and emotional study of the female experience – one that forces the viewer to confront the realities of everyday life and appreciate the importance of support among women.

Reviewed on October 20th at the 2019 Warsaw International Film Festival – Competition 1-2. 97 Mins. Part of the The Fipresci Warsaw Critics Project.

★★★★★/☆☆☆☆☆