Mellow Mud (2016) Es esmu seit

Director: Renars Vimba
Writer: Renars Vimba
Stars: Elina Vaska, Andzejs Lilientals, Edgars Samitis

Loneliness, disillusionment and the experience of first love reveal the character of Raya, a 17-year-old living in rural Latvia with her grandmother and her little brother Robis. A staggering turn of events shakes up their lives, and the young girl must come to decisions that even a grown woman would find difficult to make.

Es Esmu eit is a moody, at times depressing, film about a young girl named Raja who, alongside her brother Robis, is trying to survive in this world while being parentless. It was at times a difficult movie to watch as it elicited strong emotions in me about loss and abandonment.

The main actress did a great job in creating this lost character. Raja first appears as an angry and angsty teen, but through out the film becomes a complex character. You start to see beyond the rough edges into a vulnerable person trying to get by as best as they can.

The film is a visually beautiful portrait of the Latvian countryside but without ignoring all its messiness and ugliness.

The only flaw I could see in this film is that at times it felt too dragged out and you'd wish it would pick up the pace. And as a minor nitpick there's the fact that the film is supposed to take place in Rēzekne but not a single character has a Latgalian accent.

But other than that Es Esmu eit is a perfectly good film which I would recommend to fans of serious drama.

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