DALVA

2022 / 83 min / color

One of the biggest hits of the last festival season is centered on a 12-year-old girl named Dalva (superbly played by Zelda Samson), who lives with her father. She acts like a grown-up despite her young age — from the way she dresses to her heavy make-up and even her subtle gestures. She finds it extremely difficult to connect with kids her own age, and it makes her somewhat withdrawn. Then one day the cops show up to separate her from her father for reasons she doesn’t understand, and her whole world grinds to a halt. Little by little, she begins to experience a completely different reality, helped considerably by a teenage girl named Samia and Jayden, a social worker. As she learns to trust them, she begins to realize that her father’s love for her may have gone far beyond parental affection. An award-winner at Cannes and other festivals, French filmmaker Emmanuelle Nicot’s feature debut tackles a particularly difficult and uncomfortable subject. The director sensitively portrays Dalva’s unconditional love for her father from the perspective of her child protagonist. The juxtaposition of youthful innocence with the corruption of the adult world makes this a striking, unforgettable film.

• Cannes IFF – FIPRESCI Prize, Rising Star Award (Zelda Samson)
• Cairo IFF – Best Director, Best Actress (Zelda Samson)
• Hong Kong IFF – Best Director, Best Actress (Zelda Samson)