Palindromes

In a small, quiet town where the ordinary and the unsettling coexist, a teenage girl’s life is upended by a single, intimate decision. Aviva, a bright‑but‑conflicted thirteen‑year‑old, finds herself standing at the edge of adulthood, grappling with the enormity of a pregnancy that seems both a promise and a burden. The film opens with the weight of this secret pressing against the fragile walls of her family home, setting a tone that feels simultaneously intimate and foreboding.

Surrounded by adults who speak in hushed judgments and a community that clings to entrenched expectations, Aviva must navigate the chasm between her own yearning for agency and the rigid roles imposed upon her. The story paints her family’s dynamics as a delicate balance of love, fear, and unspoken histories, hinting at deeper secrets that linger just out of reach. As she tries to make sense of her own desires, the world around her shifts, revealing how quickly the safety of adolescence can dissolve into a maze of adult decisions.

Beyond her household, a broader social landscape looms—one colored by fervent belief systems and a collective resistance to change. A family friend, Judah, and a charismatic outsider named Bob become part of the orbit that pulls Aviva toward unfamiliar territories, offering both temptation and a sense of belonging that she craves. The environment is starkly realistic, its tone hovering between raw coming‑of‑age drama and an unsettling commentary on how personal choices intersect with cultural dogma.

The film’s mood is unapologetically raw, weaving dark humor with moments of fragile hope. It follows Aviva as she wrestles with the paradox of wanting to shape her own future while confronting the immutable forces that seek to define it. The story lingers on the poignant tension between innocence and responsibility, inviting viewers to wonder what becomes of a young soul caught between the promise of motherhood and the relentless pull of a world that refuses to stay still.

Last Updated: August 10, 2025 at 10:30