Nominated for an Oscar in the International Film category, this Belgian drama is a harrowing watch at times. It is shot entirely from the viewpoint of Nora, a young girl starting at school and is set largely in the titular school playground. The depiction of the bullying that Nora’s brother, Abel, and more subtly Nora suffer feels very authentic. It brought back memories of how horrific school life can be, and how bullies are left largely ignored or unpunished.
To add to the documentary like feeling are the naturalistic performances particularly by Maya Vanderbeque as Nora. Equally, director Laura Wandel should take credit for obtaining such a remarkable performance from someone so young.
I expect some people will not like the messy, inconclusive ending, but it really just reflects real life.
Rating: 8.5 out of 10