When a piece of film is good, Johnson tries to work out what it is that draws her in. "Is it the words in a great script that make me watch more, or the beautiful, uncomfortable images that make me listen to the words? When I can’t decide, I know it’s a goody.
"In this case everything comes together beautifully. From the raw narration to the combination of long, composed shots and fluid observational moments, all suspended in a meticulously paced edit and beautifully crafted soundtrack. I like that the visual interpretation of the script is not as literal as it might have been. It’s also deliciously textural and kind of awful at the same time. The end sequence of the little boy in the surf at sunrise is sublime. Besides feeling like you’re on the surfboard with him, the ending delivers the perfect redemptive note to the story. Always good. Well done Dirk Van Niekerk, 7Films and all involved. Jealous!"
Special mentions for the month also went to:
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