'Pebbles' Review: Visual Rewards Complement a Primal Tale in This Noteworthy Indian Indie
'Pebbles' Review: Visual Rewards Complement a Primal Tale in This Noteworthy Indian Indie
A young boy is dragged between villages by his abusive alcoholic father to bring his mother back home.
Jay Weissberg, provided by
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Director: P S Vinothraj
With: Chella Pandi, Karuththadaiyan,
Premalatha, Banu Priya, Sanjeevikumar, Paraman, Rakkaye, Pandiyamma K, Dharshini , Philip Arulooss, Chandramathi, Raniyamma, Muthu, Meenakshi, Hemalata, Eshwaran, Vettachi. (Tamil dialogue)
Running time: Running time: 75 MIN.
Courtesy of Rotterdam
The sunbaked, drought-stricken terrain of southeast India is a major determinant of the action in P S Vinothraj’s beautifully crafted, precisely plotted debut, “Pebbles.” Taking a simple premise with all the focus and penetration of a perfectly constructed short story, the writer-director transforms the drama of a young boy dragged between villages by his abusive alcoholic father into a larger, unforced statement about toxic patriarchy, limited resources, and the silent, enduring place of women as enablers of life. Boasting an exquisite use of framing and a deeply sympathetic, never cloying child as protagonist, “Pebbles” deserves widespread promotion.