Oceania

Running time: 53 mins

Sexuality and abuse, murder and suicide, truth and lies

A captivating drama that explodes with an intense visual style and sharp storytelling, Oceania is a rarity for such a young director. At 17-years-old, Harpreet Dehal wrote and directed a film that reveals a talent and a cinematic eye far beyond even the most seasoned Hollywood directors, and based on his debut film, there is no doubt that Dehal is one of the big discoveries of the year.

Through a series of events, the lives of several individuals become intertwined, for better or for worse: a troubled teenage girl with an on-call father who is never present in her life, constantly seeks to fill her emotional void; a young man whose family is far from supportive of each other?an abusive father, bitter stepmother and a sister with both physical and emotional trauma. Their lives so suddenly connect without anyone ever realizing their shared desire in their search for fulfillment.

Tamee Tanoor