Greetings again from the darkness. The first feature film from writer-director Sophy Romvari has been well received on the festival circuit, and it’s easy to see why so many have been drawn in by this Canadian- Hungarian production. It’s a deeply personal film with autobiographical elements from the filmmaker. The best family dramas often deliver a gut-punch, and this one certainly does … yet it’s the storytelling structure that provides hope for future gems like this.
It’s the 1990’s and a family is moving into a new place on Vancouver Island. Mom and Dad (Inringo Reti, Adam Tompa) have three sons and a daughter. Eight-year-old Sasha (Eylul Guven) is the youngest and we view the story and the family through her eyes. Even this opening sequence dishes out an ominous feeling, yet there are no specifics that cause this. Soon, Sasha is paying particular attention to oldest brother Jeremy (Edik Beddoes), whose physical appearance offers a clue … although it’s his increasingly worrisome behavior that mark him as a troubled teen and one that the parents must be concerned about. This ‘ordinary’ family becomes not so ordinary.
Being the parent of a troubled teen is a no-win situation, just as being that troubled/confused kid is tough to navigate. Dad spends a great deal of time with a camcorder, while mom carries the emotional blame. None of them can make sense of their situation, and the parents want to protect their other kids while also being supportive of Jeremy. In addition to young Sasha being our eyes, filmmaker Romvari uses a creative device to generate brilliant storytelling. We watch as a grown Sasha (Amy Zimmer) conducts a case study on the family of her childhood. This works exceptionally well for making this story extremely personal through creative filmmaking.
Other than an initial voiceover, the past is presented as the present, and we become so engrossed that the second half feels more like the future than a look back at the past. Much of this deals with memories – often quick clips of past moments where the full story is beyond recollection. The closest comparison for this film is Lynne Ramsay’s terrific WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN (2011), yet Sophy Romvari uses her own life experiences to grab and hold our attention. Mental illness is more openly addressed these days, and this talented filmmaker pulls back the curtain on the effects it can have on a family.
Opened April 17, 2026 in NYC and April 24 in Los Angeles, and will expand nationwide in May.
Posted by David Ferguson 
Movie Reviews from the Dark 