The storyline follows Jan, a 17-year-old teen with autism who loves technology. He joins a class competing for a scholarship in an international company to develop an AI software for a ventilation company. He must navigate his interpersonal relationships, including with a beautiful but opportunistic classmate and his harsh teacher, Frank.
The story is beautiful and profound; there are many moments that tug at your heartstrings and others that make you smile. The storyline is written and executed with immense attention to detail about how students with autism react to situations and people. The cinematography is incredibly professional, with a mix of closeup and medium shots, and some artful wide shots thrown in. The use of color and light by cinematographer Igor Pecoler truly stands out, as does his attention to detail; Pecoler isn't afraid to let some shots hang for just a while longer to drive home a point. The costumes are used in an interesting way - Jan's jacket is often used as a prop - you can tell his emotional state by its placement and how he toys with it. In keeping with other elements of the film, the sets are impeccably put-together, with Frank's classroom being especially futuristic due to its use of AI and other technology. The music is dramatic and accentuates the goings-on in the film; when some classmates or Frank conspire against Jan,, the music grows dark and insidious. The music also serves as a tool to explain to the audience Jan's emotions when he can't put them into words.
Jan is played by Alja Ali Ogrizek, who steals the show. His diction and dialogue delivery, powerful emoting, and skillful management of a difficult role make him truly shine. The ambitious Zarja is played by Ana Praznik, whose chemistry with Jan -- both positive and negative -- is undeniable. Mitja Ritlop plays the unforgiving, insensitive, yet incredibly deep Mr. Frank. His performance is one of my favorites, as he truly makes the viewer hate his character within the first five minutes of his screen time. At the same time, viewers can, in some places, resonate with him, which drums up the conflicting emotional response such a character is designed to produce. Overall, an incredible cast further lifts this incredible story. Allen Pavsar is the mastermind directing, writing and producing The Whisper of a Butterfly. His emphasis on clear, clean realism is evident in everything - from the dialogue to his direction of the actors to emote in specific scenes. The production design team excels as well; not a hair is out of place in any scene, and everything looks perfectly realistic. Jan is a character who won my heart within the first few frames of the movie -- he's a genuinely good person who refrains from judging anyone because he "can't see inside their head" to know what they are thinking. And he's passionate and hard-working, which makes anyone likable.
The film's message is about respecting people of all backgrounds. It promotes the lesson that having autism or another developmental disorder does not make one less than others. And it pushes everyone to achieve their dreams and defy the odds.
I give this film 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. By Eshaan M., KIDS FIRST!
The storyline follows Jan, a 17-year-old teen with autism who loves technology. He joins a class competing for a scholarship in an international company to develop an AI software for a ventilation company. He must navigate his interpersonal relationships, including with a beautiful but opportunistic classmate and his harsh teacher, Frank.
The story is beautiful and profound; there are many moments that tug at your heartstrings and others that make you smile. The storyline is written and executed with immense attention to detail about how students with autism react to situations and people. The cinematography is incredibly professional, with a mix of closeup and medium shots, and some artful wide shots thrown in. The use of color and light by cinematographer Igor Pecoler truly stands out, as does his attention to detail; Pecoler isn't afraid to let some shots hang for just a while longer to drive home a point. The costumes are used in an interesting way - Jan's jacket is often used as a prop - you can tell his emotional state by its placement and how he toys with it. In keeping with other elements of the film, the sets are impeccably put-together, with Frank's classroom being especially futuristic due to its use of AI and other technology. The music is dramatic and accentuates the goings-on in the film; when some classmates or Frank conspire against Jan,, the music grows dark and insidious. The music also serves as a tool to explain to the audience Jan's emotions when he can't put them into words.
Jan is played by Alja Ali Ogrizek, who steals the show. His diction and dialogue delivery, powerful emoting, and skillful management of a difficult role make him truly shine. The ambitious Zarja is played by Ana Praznik, whose chemistry with Jan -- both positive and negative -- is undeniable. Mitja Ritlop plays the unforgiving, insensitive, yet incredibly deep Mr. Frank. His performance is one of my favorites, as he truly makes the viewer hate his character within the first five minutes of his screen time. At the same time, viewers can, in some places, resonate with him, which drums up the conflicting emotional response such a character is designed to produce. Overall, an incredible cast further lifts this incredible story. Allen Pavsar is the mastermind directing, writing and producing The Whisper of a Butterfly. His emphasis on clear, clean realism is evident in everything - from the dialogue to his direction of the actors to emote in specific scenes. The production design team excels as well; not a hair is out of place in any scene, and everything looks perfectly realistic. Jan is a character who won my heart within the first few frames of the movie -- he's a genuinely good person who refrains from judging anyone because he "can't see inside their head" to know what they are thinking. And he's passionate and hard-working, which makes anyone likable.
The film's message is about respecting people of all backgrounds. It promotes the lesson that having autism or another developmental disorder does not make one less than others. And it pushes everyone to achieve their dreams and defy the odds.
I give this film 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. By Eshaan M., KIDS FIRST!
The story of the film is based on real-life events and interesting fact is that main actor Ali Ogrizek is indeed autistic. From Slovenia, dialogue in Slovenian, English subtitles
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