Little Harbor – Piata lod (2017)

Directed by: Iveta Grofova | 90 minutes | drama, family | Actors: Vanessa Szamuhelova, Matus Bacisin, Katarina Kamencova, Johana Tesarová

We all know a pool scene like this. A child that calls for the attention of (one of) the parents. “Mom! Dad| Then see what I dare!” and then off the high diving board. In the Slovakian youth film ‘Little Harbour’ (‘Piata lod’) there is also such a scene in the beginning, but the situation is slightly different and the young lead actress Jarka immediately wrapped the viewer around her finger.

Jarka is about ten years old and grows up with her very young mother and grandmother in a messy apartment. Grandma is seriously ill, but mentally still in good shape and she manipulates her daughter and granddaughter in every possible way. Jarka’s mother Lucia would rather be her daughter’s best friend than take her mother role seriously. It is therefore not surprising that the girl’s sense of responsibility is greater than that of her mother. If there are no clean clothes for Jarka, Lucia tells her to wear hers, so that the poor child can wear clothes that suit her mother’s rough lifestyle rather than a young girl.

It wouldn’t have been so serious if Lucia was really a good friend to Jarka, but she also regularly fails in that area. Especially when male attention is on the horizon. When Lucia leaves for Prague for an indefinite number of days because she can work there as a singer, she leaves Jarka alone. Jarka does not have to count on real care from grandma. Then a woman at the station confides in her twins. She has to go to the toilet and Jarka will want to keep an eye on the babies? It is the beginning of a new and exciting adventure for Jarka, who uses the arrival of the babies in her life to create a real family situation.

‘Little Harbour’ is based on part of Monika Kompaniková’s book, which in turn was inspired by true events. The first half of the film is social-realistic and – despite the beautiful compositions and the use of light and color – almost feels like a documentary. The actors portray their roles very naturally. The second part is just as beautifully filmed, but is much more fairytale-like in tone. Yet the two parts do not clash. The friendship with Jarka’s younger neighbor Kristian is just as touching as the scenes with the cute babies. Jarka and Kristian may come from completely opposite families, their longing for security and cosiness has the same intensity and they find each other in their cleverly created fantasy world. ‘Little Harbour’ is a bittersweet film for young adults (from the age of twelve, thirteen), but will certainly be well received by adults as well.