Majonezë (2025)

“Elyria” (Caterina Bagnolo) lives on her family farm with her mother, siblings and father (Julian Jashar) who isn’t violent, but is used to being obeyed. She’s got a bit of a rebellious streak and aside from shoving a few nose rings on, also has a fairly full relationship with itinerant boyfriend “Goran” (Alessandro Eggar) who probably isn’t quite what either of her parents would have wanted for their daughter. With a wedding day approaching for this young lass, “Goran” turns up in his truck to whisk her away. Her father gives her an ultimatum. Which might she choose, or might she take an altogether different path? It’s bleakly photographed in monochrome but every now and again there is a very precise flash of colour inserted onto the proceedings, as if illustrating the few glimpses of freedom she’s found in her otherwise constrained life. There is barely any dialogue but the images of her mundane life carry the message drably, but well enough, by themselves. Mayonnaise? Well you’ll see the significance at the end. It’s not actually that big a deal, but then maybe that’s the whole point?