TWIN FLOWER/ FIORE GEMELLO
Italy, 2018, 96 minutes, Colour.
Anastasiya Bogach, Kallil Kone.
Directed by Laura Luchetti.
Twin Flower is a small film from Italy, a focus on two young characters, their backgrounds, meeting, interactions, mutual protection.
The initial focus is on Bsim, from Ivory Coast, trying to help people at supermarkets with their trolleys but ousted by the manager, going on the road, recent migrant, no papers. The next focus is on Anna, running away from a man in pursuit who has been wounded. Her story is not explained until flashbacks later in the film, her relationship with her father, their bonding, his being involved in refugee trafficking, and his being killed by his partner, in defence of his daughter.
Basim is very sympathetic. Anna that is traumatised and does not speak. They travel together, gradually supporting each other, she employed by a sympathetic arranger of flowers, Basim revealed as being the object of sexual encounters in the town. But he finds a place where they both can live.
The audience is invited to empathise with the two characters, the traumas from the past, their coming alive in this encounter with each other, surviving dangers when Anna is pursued by her father’s killer, defended by Basim, and continuing on the road together.
The film is very sympathetic, a female perspective by writer-director, Laura Luchetti,
- The title? The work with the flowers and arrangements? The image of the flowers, and discovering the flowers, putting them in a vase?
- The setting, Italy, the South, ordinary life, supermarkets, flower arrangements shops, stalls, landscapes, industry, the fields and forests? The musical score?
- Basim, from Ivory Coast, his age, no papers, trying to help at the supermarket, being ousted, on the Road, being picked up and offered the meal, the encounter with Anna, her not talking, the sharing food with him, the continuing together, getting the job, Basim refused, his night wanderings, the sexual encounter and the repercussions, in the bath, the encounter with Anna, accosted by the man and his refusal, the sympathetic androgynous man, protecting Anna, the assailant, his saving Anna?
- Anna, running from the man, his wound, her not talking, on the road, the encounter with Basim, giving him some food, his leaving, her following, sharing the road, her getting the job, enjoying arranging the flowers, the sympathetic owner and his support, the flashbacks, her father and the happy times, his death, the pursuit by the killer, his intentions with her, in the vehicle? The bonding with Basim, the sexual encounter, her packing, the pursuit of the killer, saved by best seem?
- The killer, people smuggling, his eye on Anna, the confrontation with her father, the killing? His pursuit, the drive, interrogating the flower arranger, the confrontation, the violence, Basim rescuing Anna?
- The couple walking on together? To what future?
