Films about childhood don’t get any more heartwarming than Morrisa Maltz’s coming-of-age drama JAZZY, which is nominated for the John Cassavetes Award and Best Editing at this year’s Film Independent Spirit Awards.
We were first introduced to Jasmine in Maltz’s previous film The Unknown Country as a member of Lily Gladstone’s character’s extended family. Here we witness her interact with her best friend Syriah and other classmates, who constantly make you laugh with their hilarious insights. Synth-heavy soundtrack, which includes two songs by Future Islands, complement the visuals beautifully.
I’m not sure how much of it is scripted, but Jazzy and Syriah give incredible performances, for which Jazzy won the Best Performance award at last year’s Tribeca Festival. They even drew the doodles that we see during the credits. Such an authentic and delightful film!
