Mixing family drama and a touch of the surreal to great effect, Paradise is Burning is one of the most moving films of the year.
Director: Mika Gustafson
Genre: Drama
Run Time: 108′
US Release: August 23, 2024
UK Release: TBA
Where to watch: in select US theaters
Not many films can make you simultaneously think of Sean Baker, Andrei Tarkovsky, and David Lynch. Yet those are the filmmakers that come to mind when watching Paradise is Burning, the spectacular debut feature from Mika Gustafson. What feels like a straightforward family drama adds a small dose of surrealism to add some complexity, resulting in an original work that will stand as one of the most moving films of 2024.
Three sisters – Laura (Bianca Delbravo), Mira (Dilvin Assad), and Steffi (Safira Mossberg) – spend much of their time on their own due to an absent mother. They enjoy their freedom and independence during the Swedish summer, until Laura, the oldest, gets a call from social services asking about their mother’s absence. Laura, not wanting to face up to the truth, does not inform the other sisters and begins to search for someone to impersonate their mother, leading to tension, complexity, and complications.
The film’s effectiveness as an emotional family endeavor revolves around the authentic performances from the three leads. The sisters truly feel like they could be real-life siblings thanks to the natural performances from the actors. There is a certain energy to the film when all three are on screen together, and a noticeable (intentional) shift in tone whenever they are separated. And while Assad and Mossberg are great, Delbravo takes control of the film early on. Her Laura is smart, witty, but still young and reckless, and Delbarton plays all of this to perfection. She imbues her character with little moments of authenticity, such as anxiously picking at a door frame when Hannah (a woman Laura befriends) does not answer the phone. Her performance grounds the film in a way that will feel recognizable and real for many viewers.
Paradise is Burning also sneakily infuses some surrealist touches into its narrative, further setting it apart from the typical drama. Two moments stand out: one involving a painting and one involving a dog. Viewers should go into this film with little knowledge of these scenes, so I won’t spoil them here. However, these moments do draw comparisons (quite directly, in the case of the dog) to surrealist filmmakers like David Lynch and Andrei Tarkovsky. The scenes give the film a slight but noticeable otherworldly quality, endowing the human experiences in the film with a sort of spiritual significance. (The title itself reminded me of a major work with spiritual themes, John Milton’s Paradise Lost.)
The movie uses its simple narrative and surrealist examples to introduce complex ideas. The balance between being content and longing for more seems to be at the forefront of Gustafson’s mind. The sisters enjoy their freedom, but it is implied that they yearn for something more. They long for lasting relationships that their absent mother seemingly has not provided them. Yet, these are children, and the film heavily comments on the ability for young people to live in the moment. The film ends with potential devastation looming around the bend, yet the sisters dance, hug each other, and celebrate their lives together. The world is changing in front of their eyes, but for now, they are content.
Gustafson messes with tone in Paradise is Burning in a way that feels new. There is a sense of dread lingering beneath the entire film, yet she shoots her scenes in a way that is playful and energetic. It captures the naivety of childhood in a way I haven’t ever really seen. But she also uses the surreal and the complexity of life to remind us of how even our decisions in youth can come back to haunt us. Paradise is not simply lost in this film; it’s burning. The main tension lies in whether or not the characters care that it’s burning.
Paradise is Burning will open at the IFC Center in NYC on August 23, and at Laemmle Royal and Laemmle Glendale in LA on September 6, 2024. Other cities will follow. Read our ranking of all Sean Baker’s films from worst to best!
