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FILMS / REVIEWS Latvia

Review: Neon Spring

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- A new coming-of-age story from Latvia, directed by Matiss Kaza, breathes some new life into a well-worn genre

Review: Neon Spring
Marija Luīze Meļķe in Neon Spring

Latvian film Neon Spring is yet another coming-of-age tale, something of a well-worn cinematic (and cultural) genre. Indeed the film – which recently had its World Premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival – comes hot off the success of Latvian coming-of-age drama January [+see also:
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which triumphed at Tribeca only a few scant weeks ago. But whilst many of the clichés of the genre are out in full force in the film from director Matīss Kaža, its knowledge about said clichés and knowing when to subvert them and play them straight make this an often intriguing – and occasionally surprising – film.

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Laine (Marija Luīze Meļķe) is 20 and in the midst of dealing with the separation of her parents. With her mother now away from the family home and her father becoming emotionally distant, she deals with college and a 10-year-old brother with behavioural problems for whom she often feels like the de-facto carer. Heading to a rave, Laine meets experienced partygoer Gunda (Grēta Trušiņa) and – through drugs, alcohol and dancing – a bond forms between the two. As their relationship becomes more intimate, Laine begins to lose herself into a life of hedonistic nights for which drugs, dancing and sex are the order of the day. But as the days and nights melt away, the bliss of party life is interrupted by incidents instigated by both her family and friends that have Laine questioning where she goes from here.

It’s very easy for films of this ilk to descend into didactic and strangely puritanical treatises that rail against the 'evils' of drugs, sex and alcohol. Neon Spring avoids this by recognising that – whisper it now – drugs, sex and alcohol can actually be quite fun. Many of the early scenes in the film celebrate the rave culture that Laine finds herself in, and Aleksandrs Grebnevs' cinematography crackles with energy and life as the camera follows Laine around and sees her enter almost a trance like state when dancing.

Yes, there are moments when Laine’s excesses do begin to catch up with her and her coterie of friends, but these are shown as young people learning their own limitations rather than a 'see, drugs are bad' line of morality. Indeed, while the moments of dramatic impetus in the latter half of the film – such as a sexual assault or an incident in Laine’s personal life – are all tangentially related to the lifestyle that Laine is living, there are also other inciting elements such as toxic masculinity and a lack of parental care. Certainly, many coming-of-age films see generations divided over moral and ethical ideals. But the older generation presented here is an apathetic one, one that has abandoned the new generation to find a new way completely on their own. Laine rallies against her father when she is forced to attend her brother’s Parent-Teacher conference instead of him whilst  – in the case of the aforementioned sexual assault – her friends feel it’s more worthwhile to take matters into their own hands rather than invoke authorities whom they believe they will be failed by.

The character of Laine herself busts stereotypes somewhat. Many young characters (especially in films of East and Central European origin) come from poor backgrounds and are looking for an escape. But Laine’s family is well to do – her spacious home is full of middle class trappings – and she is a clever and intelligent college student. Her explorations of a new lifestyle and identity (even her sexuality is rarely commented upon whereas, in many movies, it would be a central tenet of the film) are seen as a natural part of growing up and exploring identity as much as a response to the negativity around her. With this, the performance by Melke is great, a combination of naivety and steely determination.

While the film has its flaws – for being ultimately a celebration of burgeoning identity and the excesses of youth, the film can be rather dour at times - Neon Spring still impresses with its verve and energy. After it’s Edinburgh premiere, and a forthcoming National Premiere at September’s Riga International Film Festival, the film will probably do well on the festival circuit and may even find a few theatrical and VOD outlets.

The film is produced by Latvian based production companies Trickster Pictures, Deep Sea Studios and Fenixfilm. International Sales are handled by Magnolia Pictures International.

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