Do Elephants Pray - Raindance Film Festival

BO
SUNDAY 3 OCTOBER AT 6PM
Schoolgirl Deborah longs for a life less ordinary, or at least the
money to buy some new clothes. She is less than enamoured
with life in her granddad’s flat, living with her mother and younger
brother. When the glamorous Jen takes her into town for a night
Deborah falls in love with her lifestyle. Jen admits she is a call
girl and agrees to introduce Deborah to her manager, Vince. Thus
begins Deborah’s (now Bo) spiral into prostitution, drugs and
violence over the course of a single year.
Struggling to handle her new lifestyle, keep it secret from her
family and falling in love with Vince; Bo can’t keep on top of it all.
Things go from bad to worse when she starts skipping school to
go to work and finally gets caught with a client.
Beautiful, lambent, cinematography highlights not only lead
actress Ella-June Henrard‘s formidable performance, but also the
beauty to be found in the urban landscapes of Antwerp. A subtle
and varied score provides emotional context to many powerful
scenes but is never used to overwhelm. This film is striking,
powerful and poignant. It doesn’t make grandiose statements but
simply and clearly lays out one girl’s path into a life of high-class
prostitution and the effects that has on her life. JB
Country Belgium Running Time 90 mins Format 35mm Director Hans Herbots
Producer Bert Hamelinck Screenplay Nele Meirhaeghe, Hans Herbots DoP Danny
Elsen Cast Ella-June Henrard Print Source Caviar Films
18TH RAINDANCE FILM FESTIVAL
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