AMANDA

The young girl who gives the film its title is no more than seven years old when her life changes drastically. Raised by single mom Sandrine with some sweet though not entirely committed assistance from David, her mom's brother, the little one has lived a placid Parisian existence until loss strikes unexpectedly. Not before, however, we are treated to a slice of David's life, who bikes around the city juggling odd jobs, flirting with Léna and going through it all with an effortless spirit. The scars hidden in his past sometimes put him at odds with his fullyformed sister, but proximity with family will come to represent both a challenge and a crutch for the young man.

Wonderfully observed and shot with bright simplicity, AMANDA boasts a stealth emotionality capable of gripping the audience and breaking them down before they fully realize what's happening. At its core, the interplay between a child and a (barely) adult (yet another lively and poignant turn from Vincent Lacoste and an impressive debut from Isaure Multrier) is astutely exposed without a hint of manipulation from director Mikhaël Hers.​