Toxic

Akiplėša

Vanguard

This event has passed

North American Premiere

Left behind by her mother, 13-year-old Marija is settling into a new, small-town life with her grandmother when a violent encounter puts her in the orbit of the resident “It girl,” Kristina. Eager to fit in and impress her new best friend, Marija reluctantly joins the local modeling school where the popular girls seem to converge. But the school’s shady practices drive girls to dangerous extremes as they try to fit an unattainable mold and pursue the promise of a glamorous life overseas.

Blending social realism with striking, precisely choreographed stylistic accents, newcomer Saulė Bliuvaitė makes her directorial mark with this no-holds-barred take on the complex and volatile nature of teenage girls’ inner lives. She artfully pulls back the curtain on the fragile adolescent psyche as well as their innate sense of resilience. Amidst the chaos and toxic competitive patterns, she finds sparks of genuine camaraderie and raw female intimacy.

Golden Leopard: Official Competition, Locarno 2024