In the Mirror

"A lively, witty fairy-tale remix.
"

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
  • Archive - Festival 37
  • Director: Laila Pakalniņa
  • Latvia, Lithuania 2020
  • 84 minutes
  • Latvian
  • Subtitles in Hebrew, English

Once upon a time, well… not that long ago, a CrossFit trainer became the father of a baby girl, Snow White. Her mother died and her father married a young woman obsessed with CrossFit and herself. She worked out all the time in order to be the best. And she really was the best - she could do 50 sets. In the meantime, little Snow White grew up in the CrossFit gym. Time passed, and one day it turned out that while the Stepmother could do 50 sets, Snow White could already do 53...

Laila Pakalnina playfully reboots the classic Grimm brothers fairytale in her unique absurdist way. The stylized film - shot in black-and-white - uses the familiar story to satirize the narcissism of our social media-saturated age.

Filmography: Autumn (2015), Pizzas (2012), The Hostage (2006).

 

An online conversation with the director


  • Director Laila Pakalniņa
  • Production Laila Pakalniņa
  • Script Laila Pakalniņa
  • Cinematography Gints Bērziņš
  • Editing Ieva Veiveryte
  • Music Paulius Kilbauskas, Vygintas Kisevicius
  • Festivals Tallinn Black Nights
  • Actors Madlena Valdberga, Elza Leimane, Lauris Dzelzitis, Gatis Gaga, Kaspars Gods
  • Source Just a Moment, Vilnius