The tendency to apply the label “narrative film” to non-documentary cinema is a convenience, but also a misnomer: Documentaries can be as narratively driven as any fiction feature, as “Love Child” proves in entirely engrossing fashion.
Spanning six years in the lives of two Iranian refugees — and their out-of-wedlock son — as they seek permanent sanctuary from a homeland where they face the death penalty for their love, Eva Mulvad’s film is remarkable for its intimate, extended access, its subtle political acuity and its personal window into a global crisis.
But it’s first and foremost a feat of captivating storytelling, rich in character detail, vivid temporal awareness and high-stakes tension: a relationship drama in which more rides on its central couple staying the course than most.Since its September premiere in Toronto’s documentary strand, this mostly Turkish-set Danish production has unsurprisingly been racking up high-profile festival berths, including
Read full article