Paradise is Burning

A trio of arresting and naturalistic performances power this spirited tale of siblings enjoying the pleasures and pitfalls of life ‘home alone’.

With their mother absent since Christmas, sisters Laura, Mira and Steffi are used to fending for themselves – finding joy in their freedom and endless illicit capers. Each is on the cusp of something new, but all their futures hang in the balance.

Drawing out vivid performances from her young cast, director Mika Gustafson’s exquisite rendering of character and emotion is, quite simply, a revelation, and her remarkable film was rewarded with the Sutherland Trophy for Best First Feature at the 2023 BFI London Film Festival.