The thought of a long, hot, parent-free summer might sound ideal for some. No alarms to be met; no uniforms to don; just endless hours doing whatever you want. But for the sisters at the heart of Mika Gustafson’s Paradise is Burning, the situation is far from idyllic. Not least because it’s not the first time their mother has disappeared and an impending visit from social services threatens to tear the trio apart.
Sixteen year old Laura (Bianca Delbravo), twelve year old Mira (Dilvin Asaad) and seven year old Steffi (Safira Mossberg) wake up one morning to realise that Steffi has wet the bed, they are going to get into trouble for unauthorised school absences and their mother is gone. Their house is laden with stacks of dirty dishes, empty food containers and discarded clothing. It is dark, despite the glorious Swedish summer, tinged with a slick of decaying yellow. The girls themselves tumble around in mismatched clothes and self-inflicted haircuts. There is a layer of grime that, despite their efforts, never quite seems to leave them.
It becomes clear very quickly that their life is a series of chaotic incidents. Whether that’s Steffi wetting the bed, diversion tactics to steal from a supermarket or being chased from a house they have broken into, Gustafson’s camera feels handheld; intense. We are running with the girls, looking back over their shoulders as they flee from yet another incident. It’s not quite as intimate as a documentary – and there are some truly beautiful fourth wall breaks wherein you’ll be eye to eye with several of the characters – but it does have an overall feel of being unpolished and raw.
The presence of stray dogs picking for scraps amongst the rubbish further alludes to the notion that Laura, her sisters and their wider friendship group are an assortment of strays themselves. At times, their behaviour is feral and talk of social services and teenage pregnancies are no more than throwaway comments. Yet there is something so collectively vulnerable about this group of young people just trying to make the most of their authority-free summer.
The magnetic, naturalistic style of performance (coupled with the style of direction) is reminiscent of Molly Manning Walker’s How to Have Sex or Fred Baillif’s La Mif. This film seems rooted in it’s “working-class-ness” as these other examples are, too, and put the female teenage experience at the heart of the drama. Mira gets her first period and Steffi loses her first baby tooth, both of which are celebrated with ritualistic ceremonies (which tend to dissolve into drinking in the park, singing badly and letting cigarette after cigarette dangle from their lips). Mira seems keen to emulate her big sister, insisting on wearing a pair of white heels that Laura tells her she isn’t ready for. Perhaps a metaphor for Laura, herself, stepping into their mother’s shoes during her absence.
Bianca Delbravo, in particular, shines as a young woman who is desperate to enjoy being exactly that but is burdened with the responsibility of care and the threat of separation. She is captivating in her defiance and innocence, a veritable jumble of contradictions and nuance displayed with every look. The chemistry between all three sisters is fantastic; their love for each other feels genuine and visceral throughout, no matter what is unfolding in their relationship.
Paradise is Burning is a film that never quite lets you out of the grip of its chaos. It feels both hopeful and hopeless, building and building to the social services visit that we never get to see (but feel certain of the outcome). It is anchored in brilliant lead performances and benefits from a very naturalistic approach to direction and dialogue. There are no tricks or tropes, just a solid drama that will leave you both frustrated and engrossed.
PARADISE IS BURNING is in UK & Irish cinemas from 30th August