If We Don’t Burn, How Do We Light Up the Night

A magnetic coming-of-age story from the Costa Rican countryside, where 13-year-old Laura uncovers a hidden secret threatening the women around her.

Laura reluctantly moves from San José to a small inland town with her mother and little brother, where her mother’s new partner is waiting. Tentatively, she begins to explore her new surroundings and makes new friends, while also entering the emotional whirlwind of adolescence. The overwhelming, intrusive beauty of nature mirrors Laura’s emotional turmoil, and a dark legend about a jungle beast that abducts women adds an extra layer of mystery. A captivating and unsettling drama, and a very promising debut from Kim Torres.

• Johan Blomqvist