Three Quarters

Three Quarters depicts a Bulgarian family, a physics professor father and his two children, who are finding living together difficult with one figure missing – that of the mother. From this fundamental imbalance, Ilian Metev establishes the strange rhythm of his film, in which everyone seems to struggle to find their place. The father is somewhat absent, the big sister pianist is freaking out before a competition, and the little brother tries to run away. Through his elegant and sensitive direction, through a slight hovering of the camera, or a space often left empty within the frame, the film convokes the absentee, even giving her a central role. Each scene from daily life here offers much more than meets the eye. The camera’s revelation of subtle emotion is overwhelming. (Laurence Reymond)