Never Rarely Sometimes Always

Eliza Hittman inhabits a mode of low-key but relentlessly accumulating naturalism here that is familiar from the Dardenne brothers or contemporary Romanian cinema. Autumn is a teenager who needs to travel from Pennsylvania to New York in order to get an abortion without her parents' knowledge; her friend Skylar accompanies her. There are no explanatory flashbacks, just a few hints of backstory. Through the drag of several days and nights, through endless rides on bus and train, dealing with troublesome handicaps (like a lack of money), the girls push on, not saying much. Hélène Louvart's cinematography is crisp and understated. There is no overt melodrama, only a touch of suspense – Hittman avoids any sensationalism. There are passing characters in official positions (doctors, nurses, train station guards), but they are never demonized; they too are just ordinary people trying to do their jobs in conditions of daily difficulty. The film's dramatic center is deliberately displaced, hidden: it is the toxic masculine culture that expresses itself in offhand actions, words, exchanges, and pressures. At the heart of the film, a tell-tale, wordless gesture between the girls expresses everything left unspoken. (Adrian Martin)

On 27. October: Coffee and breakfast at 6:30am!

Eliza Hittmann: A LUMIERE (2008, K), TRICKSTER (2009, K), SECOND COUSINS ONCE REMOVED (2010, K), FOREVER'S GONNA START TONIGHT (2011, K), IT FELT LIKE LOVE (2013), BEACH RATS (2017), HIGH MAINTENANCE (2016–2020, TV- Serie), 13 REASONS WHY (2017–2020, TV-Serie)