About the Film
A powerful debut from Belgian newcomer Laura Wandel, this striking film, which had its world premiere at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard section, is remarkable in that it is entirely seen from its young protagonists’ height level and is set against the backdrop of the complex, brutal, and fraught schoolyard world.
Immersive and visceral, Playground immerses us in the strange and unusual world of schoolyard bullying, as youngsters dole out emotional and physical abuse.
Seven-year-old Nora (Maya Vanderbeque) and her older brother Abel (Günter Duret), hate the thought of leaving their father (Karim Leklou), as they head to primary school. Their father wants to protect them but once school starts, he can’t begin to believe the cruel rules of the school and its playground.
A series of often brutal challenges and emotional provocations face the youngsters. Nora tries to make friends, but her brother soon finds himself a victim. She sees him being abused, but at the same time is caught in a code that prohibits snitching.
Abel can’t defend himself, leading to Nora starting to lose respect for him, but things get worse for her when another girl suggests her father is a loser, causing her to have doubts about him.
Running a tight and smart 72 minutes, Playground is a striking portrait of the duplicitous and complex world of juveniles, which is seen quite literally from a child’s perspective.
As Screen International said, the film shows “how mistreated people may very well turn to harming others, just to have some semblance of control. The implications are truly unnerving. And unless you went to school in a monastery with a code of silence, the sound design here will stir up memories. The noise of the playground and the hubbub of the halls ring absolutely true.”
Mark Adams
