From the very beginning of the film, the theme is set beautifully. There is a theme of flowing lines in the film, right down to the chalk. And as you watch the movie it is truly like watching a sequence of brush strokes coming together to make a beautiful piece of art. The young actors/actress do such incredible work, it is breathtaking to see such a sincere, moving and convincing performance from all of them. The cinematography is also beautiful, finding flashes of beauty in bleak settings.
The writing and directing deserve special attention as well. The complex material of the movie sits on a razors edge, on side it would too much fairy tale on the other side too dark. Issa Lopez is more than up for this challenge. She weaves a dark fairy tale that absorbs the viewer into the complexity. She weaves sorrow, joy, death and life into a masterwork tapestry.
At one point, I was so absorbed in a particular scene that it took me a moment to realize I was crying. I would recommend watching this film uninterrupted.