On a remote island along the Croatian coast, 17-year-old Julija (Gracija Filipovic) dives for fish with her abusive father Ante. Ante is cruel, domineering, and Julija can’t help but feel betrayed by her mother Nela’s refusal to fight back. It takes the arrival of Javier, a rich and mysterious New York businessman who wants to buy Ante’s land, to bring a sense of hope to Julija. Javier starts to shamelessly flirt around with Nela and Julija, which leads to Ante becoming more punishing and controlling towards both women. The acting in Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic’s camera d’Or winning “Murina” is especially intense, filled with authentic feeling. The problem resides in the narrative, filled with predictable dramatics that can only end in expected ways. The coming-of-age tropes used here (blossoming sexuality, overprotective fathers, desire for freedom) can be traced back to countless better movies. Kusijanovic does, however, have a knack for letting her characters engage in complex feelings, albeit in half-developed ways. [B-/C+]
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