DVD Mini Review - Lilya 4-Ever

Lukas Moodysson's Lilya 4-Ever is one of the most heartbreaking films you will ever see. It takes place in the former Soviet Union. Sixteen year old Lilya (Oksana Akinshina) thinks she is going to the US with her mother (Lyubov Anapova) and her mother's boyfriend. But she is in for a rude awakening. Her mother decides to leave her behind because Lilya will just be an inconvenience. Lilya is left to her Aunt Anna (Liliya Shinkaryova) who forces the girl to move to a smaller, rattier apartment. And this is just at the beginning of the film.

Lilya is good friends with Volodya (Artyom Bogucharsky) who is younger than she is and has a crush on her. Lilya spends many a day with little to eat. She doesn't know what to do so she starts visiting bars where older men hang out. In steps Andrei (Pavel Pomonaryov) who treats her well and promises her a better life in Sweden. But in Sweden she meets Witek (Tomasz Neuman) and things go in a different direction.

I usually cry in films that are emotionally harrowing but this one was just too shocking and I just sat there and stared in disbelief. Moodysson does a great job of bringing this sad tale to life. All of the acting is very good with the young Alinshina and Bogucharsky being outstanding. It is hard to believe but these things happen everyday. If you love world cinemas as I do then check this one out.