Ava (2017) Rendez-Vous With French Cinema 2018

13 year old Ava is told the disease she has is going to take her eyesight sooner than expected. Her mother kind of goes on as if nothing is wrong, Ava instead steals a dog and heads off to see life before the lights go out.

Well acted and well done AVA is a little too "meaningful' for my tastes when from the outset a big black dog wanders through a crowded beach and comes to Ava and effectively stays with her as it leads her off and to her destiny. Its a touch that while visually interesting is a little too obvious from the get go. And the rest of the film kind of follows suit.

While there is much to like about AVA I'm still not sure what I think of the film. While I can forgive the serious "this is about something important" tone, I'm not quite sure I can accept that Ava is only 13. There is a seriousness and quasi-maturity that is unnatural for someone of her age.

Worth a look

The film plays tonight and again on March 16th