The story concerns Kath, a young Australian veteran of the Afghanistan conflict. She is living in a camper and barely holding it together. Every effort to be social takes a herculean effort. Then one day a young Afghan man arrives to see her. Kath had known him when he was younger and now he is in Australia.
This film says a great deal in under 20 minutes. It’s a visceral depiction of what war does to the human psyche. Kath is scarred in ways that hit home. This is not a typical cinematic portrayal but something more real. You can feel the pain bleeding out from her in torrents. I don’t think we’ve ever seen a performance like this before.
I was rocked.
This is a staggering film and I didn’t want it to end. I wanted to see more. THE SOFT-SKINNED needs to be expanded. It's masterful work whose themes and ides bleed off the screen well beyond the theater. We need more time with these characters because there are stories to tell and we need to hear them.
One of the best films at the Santa Barbara Film Festival and of 2023 as well
Highly recommended.
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