Directed by Tonislav Hristov, documentary, 87 min, eng subtitles, 12+
Written by Tonislav Hristov, Kaarle Aho
An engaging documentary about a young woman who tries to overcome heavy family problems through the magic of live-action role playing (LARPing).
25 year-old Veera braces herself to face the past. She goes to therapy sessions and talks about her problems, but that alone is not enough. She goes LARPing where people physically enact their characters and pursue goals within a fictional setting, while interacting with each other. In the imagined world of the game, Veera becomes V. and can do things that real Veera cannot. There she finds friends and kindred spirits who offer her support and understanding. In real life, Veera is still not able to meet her alcoholic father after 14 years of estrangement. She is also struggling to protect her mentally disabled brother Ville against their father’s booze offers as well as against bullies from the community. In her despair, Veera decides to introduce her brother to LARPing. And as she guides him through the world of multiple roles and identities, witches and wizards and medieval knights, she finally finds the courage to face the demons of her past.
Awards:
Sundance FF 2019 (World Cinema Documentary Competition)
Berlin IFF 2019 (Generation 14plus)
Sofia IFF 2019 (Best Documentary)