VIFF Film Review: Cat’s Cry
Cat’s Cry (2024)
Directed by Sanja Zivkovic
Starring Jasmin Geljo, Andrijana Djordjevic, Sanja Mikitisin, and Denis Muric
I think the “I” is the most important letter in VIFF. Sure, the “V” represents the beautiful city of Vancouver, and without one of the “F”s (Film), what are we even talking about? Obviously, the second “F” is crucial—we’re celebrating film, being festive, if you will. But the “I” stands for International, a word that tells festivalgoers they’ll see perspectives and day-to-day lives from around the globe. Better yet, these films help us realize that, even though we come from different places, we’re all more alike than different.
Based on true events from Serbia, Cat’s Cry follows a grandfather (Jasmin Geljo) trying to gain custody of his granddaughter, who’s been diagnosed with a rare disease that gives her little hope of living past infancy. Teetering on melodrama, it was tough for me to fully grasp the grandfather’s motivation for this seemingly impossible quest. Perhaps a bit more backstory or exposition about his relationship with his now-adult daughter would have added some needed context. But it feels like director Sanja Zivkovic wanted to throw us right into the chaos and make us experience the pain firsthand. The film begins with Milena giving birth, a joyful moment beautifully captured by Andrijana Djordjevic. But as she learns of her child’s condition, she tumbles into a state of rebellious denial, leading to conflict with her father and the child’s father and family.
Djordjevic anchors the film, channeling a quality reminiscent of a Sean Baker protagonist. Much like Bria Vinaite as Halley in The Florida Project (2017) or even Simon Rex as Mikey in Red Rocket (2021), we empathize with her struggles and even find ourselves latching onto her poor choices, thanks to an earnestness that only a truly skilled actor can pull off. Because of this, the Serbian actress towers over the other performances, especially veteran actor Jasmin Geljo. Whether it was his portrayal or the lines written for him, Geljo’s turn as Stamen, the grandfather, feels overplayed. His hand-wringing moral conviction regarding the child comes across like an old-timey character from a Douglas Sirk melodrama, and for me, it just didn’t fit.
When the credits roll, we’re reminded that this is based on a true story—a choice that adds some context to a nuanced story, though, unfortunately, it felt like a bit too little, too late. For those who love a good drama about childhood illness and are ready to have their hearts broken (and possibly mended), I recommend this Serbo-Croatian language film. For others, I suggest seeking out other international films at VIFF—there’s no shortage of options.
Screenings:
- Tuesday, October 1, 6:30 p.m. at VIFF Centre – Vancity Theatre
- Thursday, October 3, 12:45 p.m. at International Village 10
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