In Bloom, directed by Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Groß, was Georgia’s nomination for the Oscar for Foreign Language Film in 2014. I can understand why. In Bloom is a coming of age story set against political upheaval, that also examines the place of women in such a turbulent, unformed society. In short, the kind of thing that is catnip to Oscar judges. The fact that the film never made it onto the shortlist suggests that despite its potential, something is missing.
The year is 1992 and Georgia has become an independent state following the collapse of the Soviet Union. On the borders of the country, war continues to rumble on and for the citizens of Tblisi life is difficult. Food is scarce and violence infects the community like a virus as families struggle to make ends meet. For 14 year old friends Eka (Lika Babluani) and Natia (Mariam Bokeria), life continues more or less as usual. The girls attend school, gossip with their friends and fend off the advances of the local boys, but their naivety does not last for long.
Both in terms of its narrative and its style, I found In Bloom distinctly uninvolving. The performances of the young leads have a coldness about them, a cultural austerity perhaps but I found it very difficult to warm to their friendship or to really get under their skin. Eka in particular is an emotionally remote character, hiding behind silence that is difficult to penetrate. Natia may be a little more lively but I found her to be just as difficult to understand or empathise with. When the two girls finally emit bursts of passion at the dramatic denouement, it felt forced and awkward. Although these are the children of war and their numbness is easy to understand, ultimately, I felt nothing for any of the characters involved.
For me it felt like a film of barriers, not only in terms of its performances but also in the direction. The camera work sets up these barriers visually, as close shots are frequently used to cut off our field of vision. I found this deeply frustrating, further distancing me from the narrative playing out on screen. This is a shame because overall the film has a great sense of place and time and had great potential. For me though, it never came alive in the way promised by the title.