Twin Flower
In a South of Italy full of beauty and hidden dangers, two adolescents, abused and damaged by life, Anna, whose father has been murdered and Basim, an immigrant orphan, escape together towards a new start.
"I worked on the idea for a long time. It started from a story that a girl told me: I met her two years ago. She had escaped from Italy disappearing, to get away from a violent background and, at the same time, I got inspired by the many readings about the phenomenon of national immigration. I discovered that a very high number of people, 5000/7000, even every year, especially minors, disappear after arriving because they have no documents, they have nothing, and they disappear in the woods, in the supermarkets…The idea was mainly about the meeting of these two young fugitives who come from the same environment of the immigration traffic, but from two opposing sides because one is the daughter of the migrant trafficker while the other is an illegal immigrant.
I looked for “Basim” among the boys who had just arrived in Italy on the various barges: I was looking for a real thing and, for this reason, I did many auditions, many meetings. When Anastasiya came in it changed everything, during our chats I discovered that she also came from abroad, that she also had to face this long journey and to adapt herself to a totally new Country and that she had the same qualities as Kallil because they are both survivors. They are not normal, they have survived a great emotional journey, as well as a geographic one. This makes them a little wild, instinctive, they understand right away because they had to fight to get where they are. It was a coincidence that made them the right ones for me." - Laura Luchetti, director of TWIN FLOWER
Cast
- Anastasiya Bogach
- Kallil Kone
DVD Features
Short Film:
Cerdita
Written and directed by Carlota Pereda
Spain
Spanish with English subtitles
15 minutes
Synopsis:
Sara is mercilessly bullied by her peers for being overweight but a turn of events will soon change everyone's fates in a most alarming fashion.
Sound: Stereo 2.0 and 5.1 Surround Sound
Discs: 1
- "Luchetti's delicate direction with two young first time actors is the marvel of Twin Flower. She touches upon post-me too generation concerns and also immigration issues the country is facing. Kone and Bogach both give soulful and touching performances."
- "Rather than get bogged down in action and conflict, Luchetti allows her characters the room to grow alongside each other with their own internal wars supplying more than enough intrigue until Manfredi finally knocks on the correct door. She has written these two teens with depth and sorrow to make every interaction meaningful towards understanding who they are as individuals as well as a single entity. How do they respond to the kindness of strangers and the anger of others? How do they risk their delicate balance to inch closer and show exactly how they feel? Nothing is rendered easy. The honesty of this truth is what lets Twin Flower shine."
- "Bolstered by revelatory performances from its leads, and a timely thematic foundation appropriate to its place and moment, “Twin Flower” (Italian: “Fiore Gemello”) tells a story that’s as nuanced as it is profound. The tale of two runaways on the road, the film is interested in relationships, community, the vulnerable, and the forgotten. And while the core elements of the story might be basic in their assemblage, the complexity afforded to the characters and the universe they inhabit speaks volumes about the steady, thoughtful hand behind all of this. Despite coming from different places and suffering under unconnected burdens, Anna and Basim bond through interconnected traumas tied to their similar predicaments. Their story is the shared experience of humanity, and what it means to exist within a broader community full of castaways and damaged actors. It’s a beautiful idea, and it just so happens to come to TIFF audiences in a film no less gorgeous. "
Gallery
Awards & Recognition
Futurewave Youth Jury Award
Seattle Int'l. Film Festival
Grand Jury Prize
Seattle Int'l. Film Festival
European Film Awards
London Film Festival
Toronto Int'l. Film Festival
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