I Believe in Unicorns (2014)

A road trip through the stunning and complex landscape of troubled young love.

Director:

Leah Meyerhoff

Writer:

Leah Meyerhoff

Stars:

Natalia Dyer, Peter Vack, Julia Garner

2 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Natalia Dyer	...	Davina
Peter Vack	...	Sterling
Julia Garner	...	Cassidy
Amy Seimetz	...	Clara
Toni Meyerhoff	...	Toni
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Isaac Aceituno	...	Concert extra
Delano Montgomery	...	Skater
Sam O'Gotti	...	Friend
Johnny Sequoyah	...	Girl on scooter
Jane Stillwater	...	Biker

Storyline

Unicorns tells the story of an awkward teenage girl who escapes to a fantasy world when her first romantic relationship turns increasingly violent.

---

Plot Keywords:

title directed by female | written by director | boyfriend girlfriend relationship | dysfunctional relationship | skateboarder | 

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Certificate:

TV-14

Did You Know?

Trivia

Though they did not share any scenes together, both Natalia Dyer and Amy Seimetz played roles in the hit Netflix show Stranger Things; as Nancy Wheeler (Dyer) and Becky Ives (Seimetz)

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Davina: There's so much I want to say. But I don't know where to star.
[pause]
Davina: Today is my birthday. Today I will learn how to breathe.

---

Soundtracks

Much
Written by
Performed by Ryan McLaughlin, Thomas Orgren, William Waikart III and John Edward Hutchins
Published by Finest Songs and Finegold Songs
Courtey of Typefighter
By Arrangement with Fine Gold Music

User Reviews

Amazing understanding of the human condition

All teenage girls need to see this I Believe in Unicorns. Or for that matter, anyone who ever was a teenage girl needs to. Leah Meyerhoff somehow manages to capture the human condition so perfectly in this film. It shows the ugly little details of life and relationships that nobody bothers to do in most movies and leaves you with a gut wrenching feeling (but in a good way). That's what really sets it apart.

Natalia Dyer gives an extremely brave performance as Davina, a 16 year old girl juggling school, taking care of her mother with MS, and a new relationship with Sterling (Peter Vack), an older "bad boy". Sterling starts out as her "unicorn", but that starts to change as they become closer.

It's also beautifully shot, some of it on 16mm film which gives it a vintage, timeless feel. There is no use of modern technology throughout the entire film, which leaves you guessing whether it took place in the present day or some magic era that never existed. The stop motion sequences make it whimsical and fantastical.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 May 2015 (USA)

Also Known As:

Even Unicorns Need to Breathe

Filming Locations:

Berkeley High School, Berkeley, California, USA

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1