Heartbeast

Elina, a 15-year-old aspiring rapper (Elsi Sloan), has to leave her home in Finland and move to the south of France because of her mother’s new husband. She is immediately drawn to her new, slightly older stepsister Sofia (Carmen Kassovitz), a charismatic ballet dancer. The contrast couldn’t be greater—especially since Sofia, paradoxically, leads a double life filled with parties and drugs. Soon, their friendship turns into something more—and into a toxic power struggle... Disappointed love, emotional dependence, and unspoken expectations: “Heartbeast” is an exciting blend of a sensitive coming-of-age film and a dark psychological thriller that employs striking audiovisual effects as well as the skillful use of music. It’s no coincidence that the electrifying soundtrack was composed by Air member JB Dunckel. Finnish director Aino Suni’s direction stays very close to the characters, recording even the slightest shifts in their relationships—like a seismograph. The result is a psychologically precise, authentic portrait of adolescence—sometimes quiet, sometimes flashy, but always fraught with tension. Alongside Finnish newcomer Elsi Sloan, the lead roles are brilliantly portrayed by Carmen Kassovitz, daughter of French actor and director Mathieu Kassovitz (“La Haine”), Adel Bencherif (“A Prophet,” “Spectre”), and rapper Chilla.