Jeune Fille

Jeune Fille is a beautiful short film that in my opinion carries the emotional depth of a full- length. Within the first moments, I was captivated by the melancholy of main character, Sophia (played by Luba Bocian), and found myself continually wondering what she was thinking until the climax of the film. Likewise, Miles Wartes plays the character of Adam, who has only one spoken dialog scene, but whose presence on screen is lingering and impactful.

The cinematography is beautiful and artful, shot mostly in black-and-white, and the writer/director Joshua McQuilkin utilizes non-linear storytelling to carry the viewer along, which is quite a remarkable undertaking for a short film. Juene Fille is accentuated by a beautiful and haunting score, which carries the emotion along and at times feels perfectly timed to key moments within the film.

This is on many levels an art film, tipping its cap to French New-Wave filmmaking. It relies heavily on minimal dialog, non-verbal communication and subtlety to convey the story, so viewers looking for a straight-line plot are more likely not to "get it" the first time around. But those who enjoy films that make them think, ponder and discuss are likely to find this film delightful.