| Heart of Fire | |
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She becomes a child solider; toting a gun too big for her as she learns that armed conflict is more complicated that simple black and white posturing. Whilst others around her are seemingly content to follow their contemporaries’ leads and take for granted that the war they are fighting is just, she remains sceptical, not afraid to question her authorities and confront perceived absurdities. This headstrong attitude lands her in trouble more than once, but gradually she begins to realise that the war they are fighting is brutal and ultimately hopeless, motivated by the pride of her superiors. Letekidan Micael is astonishing at Awet, a natural child performer with expressive eyes and a determined pout, she reinvigorates familiar scenes of childhood understanding and the loss of innocence into something fresh and absorbing. She’s well supported by her gaunt and stoic sister Freweyni; her calm acceptance a great counterpoint for Awet’s foot-stamping. It’s not just the children who shine; there are strong performances from the charismatically magnetic Ma’aza (Seble Tilahun), a woman whose leadership is only overshadowed by her pride and Daniel Seyoum as Mike’ele, a voice of reason in the escalating violence. In some ways in lacks subtlety, Awet is taught early on a lesson about turning the other cheek and it’s dramatically played out in the latter half of the film. It’s a fairly obvious set up but it’s done with such heartbreaking conviction that you forget all about its barefacedness. Whilst the film offers no real surprises - war is complicated and many things are not as black and white as they seem - it does well to focus on the personal struggle of Awet. As she learns these facts of life for the first time, the film’s conclusions become more than just trite observations and become genuinely emotionally engaging. It offers a superb performance by Letekidan Micael and a beautifully shot landscape (a scene stealing shot of her in a red dress sitting on a tree branch is poetic in its simplicity) which work together to create an absorbing and satisfying coming-of-age drama. Rating: **** Review by: Jez Sands |
The follow up to director Luigi Falorni’s Oscar nominated The Story Of The Weeping Camel, Heart Of Fire is a poignant and heartfelt drama which tells the story of a 10 year old Eritrean girl, Awet (Letekidan Micael), caught up in the civil war of her country in the 1970s.
