Venice Film Festival 2024 Review ‘ Quiet life’

Director Alexandros Avranas explores the harrowing phenomenon of Child Resignation Syndrome, a condition where children enter a coma-like state due to intense psychological trauma. His film centers on a Russian family seeking asylum in Sweden, whose journey takes a dark and unexpected turn. What begins as a hopeful quest for safety soon becomes a gripping drama that strips the family of hope and humanity.

The story follows Russian teachers Sergei (Grigory Dobrygin) and Natalia (Chulpan Khamatova), who have fled persecution with their daughters Alina (Naomi Lamp) and Katja (Miroslava Pashutina). At first, the family appears to be adapting well to life in Sweden—they’ve learned the language, integrated into school, and even joke about taking Swedish names. However, beneath this surface lies a sense of unease, reinforced by the cold, lifeless environments they inhabit. The drab color palette of gray tones adds to the oppressive atmosphere, signaling that all is not as hopeful as it seems.

The turning point comes when the family’s asylum application is rejected, and Katja collapses at school. She is transferred to a clinic with strict visitation rules, leaving her parents in a desperate struggle for both her recovery and the crucial testimony needed for their asylum appeal.

As the family sinks deeper into despair, the film highlights the cruel indifference of the authorities. Empathy is nowhere to be found, replaced by suspicion and hostility, which strips the family of any sense of control. Avranas adds a touch of dark humor through the cold, robotic therapists who instruct the parents to maintain a positive demeanor around their daughter, all while offering unnervingly artificial smiles that never reach their eyes.

In terms of performance, Naomi Lamp is a standout as Alina, especially in a tense scene where she faces interrogators who question her emotional testimony about her father. Chulpan Khamatova is equally compelling as Natalia, a mother torn between protecting her children and her own helplessness.

In a world dominated by bureaucratic detachment, small acts of kindness become profoundly meaningful. The quiet support of clinic worker Adriana (Eleni Roussinou) and rare moments of family closeness offer fleeting glimpses of warmth in an otherwise bleak reality.

Quiet Life had its world premiere at the 2024 Venice Film Festival.