bluish directorial duo Lilith Kraxner and Milena Czernovsky create a tantalizing, atmospheric study of life during in-between states of being.
Directors: Lilith Kraxner & Milena Czernovsky
Genre: Drama, Coming of Age
Run Time: 83′
New York Film Festival Premiere: September 28-30, 2024
U.S. Release Date: TBA
U.K. Release Date: TBA
Coming-of-age films often focus on a singular moment or event that acts as the direct causation of their protagonist’s evolution. Through their journey, we see them grapple with the emotions that emerge when leaving a past version of themselves behind in pursuit of something more. Directorial duo Lilith Kraxner and Milena Czernovsky take a unique approach to the coming-of-age story within their new film bluish, and rather than keying in on a central moment, they instead actualize a central feeling.
bluish is a collection of moments in the lives of its protagonists, Errol and Sasha. While the two twenty-something young women are nothing alike, they are connected by a feeling of in-betweenness. Errol is introverted and curious about the world around her, but unsure of how to join it. She is regimented and trying to figure herself out whether it be through hobbies or dating apps. Sasha is new to Vienna. She is extroverted, trying to connect with her new city in a meaningful way and at times impatient it doesn’t seem to be eager to connect with her.
While Errol and Sasha are both a part of the lifeblood of Vienna, they feel alone in it. They haven’t quite found their footing and are trying to put themselves in social situations to attempt to be a part of something. The entire film plays out in fragments of their days through an artful 1.33:1 aspect ratio. bluish is a sensitive and slow atmospheric study about the impatience and loneliness that come when trying to find your place in the world.
There’s an overwhelming feeling of tenderness towards the two young women we are watching. Kraxner and Czernovsky’s directorial style gives the impression they feel protective over the stories of Errol and Sasha. The film is presented as a collage of feelings and small moments that lend themselves to the concept behind bluish rather than a straightforward narrative. While this creates a visually enticing film, it leaves something to be desired.
The film feels both invasive and removed. We are in the most intimate parts of their lives, dancing with Sasha alone in her room and nervously changing with Errol in the gym locker room, but there is a dissonance between the identity of these women and what we see in their daily lives. The film seems to dare its audience to bridge that gap themselves or let the women come to them on their own time when they are ready to be revealed. However, we aren’t given enough information to do so.
While this experiential approach to telling a story cues us to the emotional state of the protagonists, it also evades an impactful connection between the women and the audience. The film is a success in that it captures the feeling of being bluish, in-between states with a longing for permanency, but it doesn’t concern itself with going beyond that feeling to dissect it on a deeper level. This inability to connect with the audience makes the film drag and leaves us wondering if we will ever truly get to know these women or if we are permanently relegated to watching them from the sidelines.
Kraxner and Czernovsky create a mood, a palpable feeling and an interesting take on a coming-of-age film with bluish; however, the film takes a toll on audiences as it stays in that singular emotion for the entirety of its duration. This isn’t to say what they have created is not entirely unique. Their storytelling shows a deep care, even a deep love, for the protagonists they have created. You will leave the film interested in the lives of Errol and Sasha, but still longing to understand them in a deeper sense.
bluish was screened at the New York Film Festival on September 28-30, 2024.
