Hanami
In this magical realist drama set on a volcanic island in Cape Verde, a girl who has lost her mother is sent to the foot of a volcano to be treated for a mysterious fever.
Denise Fernandes, a Portuguese-Cape Verdean screenwriter and director now based in Switzerland, tells a strongly visual coming-of-age story in her film Hanami. If not strictly autobiographical, the film may at least be inspired by her immediate circle. Nana spends her childhood and youth in Cape Verde in a tranquil reality, the peace of which is every now and then broken by messages from the outside world. Although the island seems far away from the rest of the world, a geologist interested in the volcanic island, a peer longing to study in Lisbon, and close relatives who have sought their fortune elsewhere, such as Nana’s mother, all tell her that it is just one place in a vast world.
The piercing-eyed actress Alice da Luz is intensely present in the role of Nana, as if she were part of the scenery. The child actors in the film deserve a special mention as well for their natural performances.
Hanami’s international festival tour began at the Locarno Film Festival last year and has continued at the New Horizons Film Festival in Wroclaw, Poland, among other places. In its own genre, Hanami is sure to appeal to a wide range of audiences.
Mikko-Oskari Koski (translated by Pauliina Jännes)
Trailer
