L'Animale

Mati is a tomboy in a dirt-kicking, vandalizing motorbike gang that harasses teenaged girls in a small Austrian town. When gang leader Sebastian falls in love with Mati, she develops a friendship with one of the girls, and runs the risk of losing her place in the gang. At the same time, she faces problems at home, when a long-kept secret threatens to cut a rift between her parents, forcing them to choose between maintaining the family image or bravely accepting reality. Katharina Mueckstein’s debut film is a refreshing accomplishment, excelling in daring direction, electrifying aesthetics, and acute attention to detail.