Murina (“Moray Eel”) (2021)
April 10, 2025 1:21 AM - Subscribe
This debut feature film by Croatian Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović was exec-produced by Martin Scorsese, and won the Caméra d'Or at the 2021 Cannes Festival. Powerful, feminist story of a strong-willed 17 yo daughter, who rebels against the primitive patriarchy on the beautiful Adriatic island where she live. Her fisherman father especially is an abusive, controlling prick, trying to keep his growing mermaid daughter in her place.
It evokes other sensual Mediterranean dramas full of salt water and sun, like ’The lost daughter’ and ‘A bigger Splash’. Mature and sensitive. 9/10.
91% on Rotten Tomatoes.
3.5 stars on "Roger Ebert".
"Only" 6.8 on IMDb.
"Only" 3.6 on Letterboxd.
(Available on your usual "free" streamers. )
Kusijanović directed two other shorts: Into the blue, a 2017 draft for 'Murina’, a similar story about a 13 year old diver, also named Julija, played by the same actress, in the same locations, and with the same sensibilities and mature 'feel’. A story about friendship and jealousy between two girls.
And Stane, (2023) an elusive story about a strong-willed woman, who was just elevated to lead her immigrant father’s thriving construction empire, while at the same time discovering her husband’s infidelity. Unspoken emotions and toxic dynamics explored. This is part of ‘Women’s Tales’, an anthology of 29 shorts commissioned by fashion brand Miu Miu. 9/10.
It evokes other sensual Mediterranean dramas full of salt water and sun, like ’The lost daughter’ and ‘A bigger Splash’. Mature and sensitive. 9/10.
91% on Rotten Tomatoes.
3.5 stars on "Roger Ebert".
"Only" 6.8 on IMDb.
"Only" 3.6 on Letterboxd.
(Available on your usual "free" streamers. )
Kusijanović directed two other shorts: Into the blue, a 2017 draft for 'Murina’, a similar story about a 13 year old diver, also named Julija, played by the same actress, in the same locations, and with the same sensibilities and mature 'feel’. A story about friendship and jealousy between two girls.
And Stane, (2023) an elusive story about a strong-willed woman, who was just elevated to lead her immigrant father’s thriving construction empire, while at the same time discovering her husband’s infidelity. Unspoken emotions and toxic dynamics explored. This is part of ‘Women’s Tales’, an anthology of 29 shorts commissioned by fashion brand Miu Miu. 9/10.
« Older The Studio: The Missing Reel... | The Handmaid's Tale: Devotion ... Newer »
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
