Céline Roustan
On the brink of leaving her suburban hometown, spending her final days either with her best friend or packing, a chance encounter at a yard sale sparks an introspection in Leila in these changing times. In their directorial debut, Falena, writer/director Nancy Pettinicchio expertly portrays a coming-of-age narrative with sensitivity and subtlety, providing the audience with enough emotional space to feel the journey of the protagonist up until her departure for her new life.
“I also wanted to explore our refusal to address the possibility of our closeness ever coming to an end”
“The idea for Falena came to me on the night that I moved out of my parents’ house in the suburbs and into my first apartment in Montreal”, Pettinicchio shared with us, revealing that after years of writing and rewriting the film, they aimed to “tell a story about a young person on the cusp of adulthood whose interest in photography acts as a means of exploring who she is, and who she can be”. The excitement of moving to the city to pursue one’s aspirations is incredibly relatable, but not a universal experience – as some choose to stay in their hometown. However, this departure can also signal a change in the strongest, dearest friendships and alongside that excitement comes mixed feelings about those we leave behind. “I also wanted to explore our refusal to address the possibility of our closeness ever coming to an end”, Pettinicchio explained.
While being a rather contemplative film, Falena excels when it comes to depicting the strong bond and intimacy between Leila and Cassy, as they go through the motions of accepting their impending separation. Simultaneously, Pettinicchio’s short also conveys how intrigued Leila becomes by that photo she discovers, and the artistic world and expression behind it. All in the warmth of Summer days, which add an effective nostalgia to the story. Ultimately, this is a film that doesn’t need to rely on an overly dramatic narrative to leave an impact; instead, it confidently draws on the emotional depth of its screenplay.
Nahéma Ricci stars as Leila in Nancy Pettinicchio’s Falena
With this meditative approach, and little dialogue, the film needed to be sensorially immersive to succeed. The images of DP Alexandre Nour Desjardins’ (Simo, Nanitic) bring the suburban Summer vibe to the screen, capturing its freedom and idleness with the color palette and the way he places the actors in his frame and follows them around. While editor Myriam Magassouba creates the perfect pace for the film, mirroring Leila’s inner thoughts and allowing us to linger in moments that initially feel mundane, until their importance is recognized. Both the photography and the edit are vital in capturing Leila’s excitement and realization and as an audience we join in this moment and are left wondering what will happen next.
Falena is not the first time we’ve featured a film showcasing the talents of Nahéma Ricci (Everything Will Be Alright, Found Me), so it might feel a bit redundant to say that once more her performance is impressively powerful. With a film that mostly relies on her ability to embody the nuances of the screenplay, she portrays Leila with a raw authenticity as she navigates the conflicting emotions of her departure, how it will affect her friendship and the promise of self-discovery and starting a new chapter. Poignant and captivating as always, the sincerity of her portrayal draws the viewer in to Pettinicchio’s film and makes it so compelling.
Ahead of its online debut on S/W, Falena was included in Telefilm’s Not Short on Talent showcase at the 2022 edition of Clermont-Ferrand. It went on to premiere at the 2022 edition of Regard, before hitting the festival circuit with a notable stop at the Palm Springs ShortFest. Pettinicchio has already completed their next short – a documentary called Ça va finir par finir (It Will Always End in the End) – and is currently developing a couple of narrative shorts and features as a director and/or producer.