Firecrackers

A true breath of fresh air! Young friends Lou and Chantal are planning to run away from their Canadian small-town home and go on an adventure to New York City. Just before the girls are ready to go, Chantal is assaulted – and the situation goes from bad to worse when the pair seek out revenge on the perpetrator. Now, they must take drastic measures if their escape plan is ever to become reality. They’ll soon learn that the price to pay for freedom can sometimes be too high.

Firecrackers is a courageous and different depiction of friendship, teen girlhood, and youth culture. In an inventive manner, the film manages to paint an authentic picture of what youth means – without idealising what for many people is a rough time, and without resorting to stereotypes. The portrayal of lived chaos and hopelessness instead comes across as genuine and true to life. The film is clear in its ambition to contribute to a more nuanced representation of the possibilities of young women. It becomes a highly relevant addition to the ongoing debate about sexual violence and other violence against women, which caught new wind in its sails after the #metoo campaign. Simultaneously, Firecrackers is a beautiful film with gorgeous cinematography, which places a good amount of importance in the small, significant details.