Cast

Lena Dunham, Laurie Simmons, Grace Dunham, David Call, Alex Karpovsky, Jemima Kirke, Merritt Wever

awards

SXSW FF 2010 – jury award, Sarasota FF 2010 – independent vision award

Film description

Aura is 23, has a failed relationship under her belt, a useless or impractical degree (film theory) and no idea what to do. After graduating, she goes to live with mom (a passionate photographer) and teenage sister on the path to success, in a beautiful home – a loft in NY’s TriBeCa. Entering adulthood, Aura is trying not to lose faith in herself and maintain perspective while trying to tackle frustration, male egos, family strife and twisted friendships from the past.

Lena Dunham’s close-hearth and nonchalant film is a humorous but bitter story of growing up, a time of frustration, lack of prospects, when every choice is uncertain and self-confidence ebbs. The film may be read as a feminist voice: the plot focuses primarily on women in relations between them. Importantly, Dunham plays Aura, with her mother and sister playing their respective life roles in the film (friends contributed other roles). Still, Dunham is beholden to no dogma, remains ironic, distanced and spares none of the portrayed women. She manages to avoid caricature and sketch multidimensional and unpredictable characters with relationships that, though sometimes difficult, offer tenderness and intimacy.

Karolina Kosińska