A new feature film by Eliza Hittman.
One of the most haunting films I’ve seen at this year’s Zurich Film Festival is Never Rarely Sometimes Always. Director Eliza Hittman tells a very relevant and realistic story, which leaves an impact on its audience. It tells the tale of two girls travelling to New York to get an abortion, because the law does not allow the procedure where they live. besides being an intimate film about their relationship, it is also a that criticises the system, and is very current it its topics.
The protagonist is Autumn, a young girl from a small town in Pennsylvania. After finding out that she is pregnant without being in the situation to have a support system or even responsible father around, she starts to consider an abortion. With the help of her cousin Skylar, she decides to travel to New York, where she can get the help she needs - in contrast to her hometown in rural Pennsylvania. The trip turns out to hold many challenges in store for the two young travellers, who rely only on each other and the kindness of officials and strangers to deal with a very difficult situation.
Many of the actors are either in their debut on the big screen, including Sidney Flanagan as Autumn, and some officials play themselves in their real life function. The atmosphere is incredibly intimate and realistic, which is certainly due to the wonderful young actresses and their chemistry. The script, written by director Eliza Hittman, gives room to the important moments of the plot, but also includes many quiet moments which build up realism and empathy with he characters. In contrast to other films dealing with the subject of teenage pregnancy and abortion, it does not fall into the melodramatic, but remains very raw and powerful throughout.
Without preaching or openly criticising, the film discusses the situation of unplanned pregnancy in the USA, which is also a current topic in other countries. As filmmaker Eliza Hittman stated in an interview given during the film festival, she was also considering setting the story in other countries, but in the end decided it had to be America due to the situation there. Issues brought up are parental support and necessary consent, wanted and also unwanted intercourse among teenagers, abortion methods and the horrible alternatives to legal choices, financing of procedures, legal differences between states, several forms of harassment of teenage girls and many more. Overall, this film makes a clear statement, showing a reality of a female world through the eyes of Autumn and Skylar, and in how many ways they are failed by the system and individuals. It also shows the strength and resourcefulness, though, and how their friendship and support can help them get through this difficult time.
Never Rarely Sometimes Always will be shown in a premiere today, and then be shown in the regular programming from this Thursday on (in Zurich and all over Switzerland). Highly recommended to watch on the big screen.
Before being shown at the Zurich Film Festival, the film has already been shown at the festivals Sundance, Berlinale, and San Sebastian this year, and won critical acclaim and several awards.
(Images: IMDB/ Focus Features)