Perfume de violetas

Stroppy teenager Yessica (Ayala) has plenty to be disgruntled about. She takes constant grief from Jorge (Peña), the creepy son of her mother's new husband, and she's just been expelled from school for slapping a teacher. Her stressed out mother (Rojo) is largely unsympathetic, so when Yessica is raped by Jorge's work colleague, she turns to Miriam (Gutiérrez), a shy, gentle schoolgirl from the other side of the tracks. The story of the girls' relationship forms the basis of Marysa Sistach's feature, inspired by the growing problem of sexual assault in Mexico City. It's a powerful work offering a carefully crafted, thoughtful look at the vulnerability of children in an adult world. Despite the grim subject, the director creates a poignant picture of Yessica's indomitability and the tenderness of her relationship with Miriam. The nature of the girls' experiences is echoed in Servando Gajá's cinematography, with its rhythmic mix of hand-held work and long sweeping takes, and counterpointed by the ecleticism of the musical backdrop. Superb performances from all concerned, but it's the startlingly mature work of the girls that resonates.