“Animalia” is the feature debut for Director Sofia Alaoui, who previously directed several short films, including “So What If the Goats Die,” which won the Festival Grand Jury Prize at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.
Set in Morocco, “Animalia” follows Itto as she navigates a new world in the affluent household of her husband’s family. She feels out of place, having grown up in a much poorer part of the country, especially in the presence of her mother-in-law. Itto finds relief one afternoon when everyone else leaves the house on a business trip, but a mysterious weather phenomena pushes her out of the comfort of the family estate and onto a journey that transforms her view of the universe.
The heart and soul of “Animalia” lies in its lead actress, Oumaïma Barid, whose heartfelt performance as Itto anchors the viewer on a journey pondering abstract questions and feelings about the nature of the universe through the lens of a very human story.
Director Alaoui uses the camera to illustrate the supernatural nature of the story during the film’s timelapse sequence, a key moment near the end of the second act, which pushes the viewer into unfamiliar territory without upset. Alaoui also uses many drawn out shots to build familiarity with the setting, and to more fully realize the story.
While I’m still trying to comprehend several moments of the film, in a time when films go out of their way to explain themselves, “Animalia” stands out by letting audiences interpret information the film presents. Alaoui’s feature debut is a profound exploration of our own humanity, and a must-see for anyone looking for simple, but well executed storytelling.
I only wish the film retained its original title, “Among Us,” which better captures the thrust of the film. But as Producer Margaux Lorier said in a questions-and-answers session after a screening at this year’s Sundance fest, the filmmakers decided to change the title so people would not mistake the film for an adaptation of the popular video game of the same name.
