In this romantic drama a teenage girl embarks on a relationship with an older boy, a free spirit who she soon discovers has a darker violent side. She is a young girl with responsibilities beyond her age, such as looking after her disabled mother, so she wilfully disappears in her head into a fantasy world from time to time.This one could be filed under both the coming-of-age and road movie sub-categories. It has a protagonist who I did like and sympathise with. I felt the portrayal of the characters was quite realistic and there were many little moments which felt true to life. It does go into some disturbing areas it has to be said with a scene which amounted to sexual abuse, so it is a film with some darker aspects lurking below its sunny veneer. I think it was this visual side of things though which was the most impressive single aspect of this one though, with a look which reminded me of the warm glow of old photographs. It was quite beautifully done and there was quite a bit to enjoy from a visually aesthetic point-of-view. Ultimately, the content of the film itself was a bit too limited to truly make this one feel more than an interesting snapshot of something. Still, it was a fairly alluring snapshot all the same, and certainly had a distinctive look and feel to it.

Looking at the titles chosen for the ICM Film Festival,this one and Ivy stood out as the ones that would be hardest to find. Getting lucky in stumbling on Ivy,I just could not find this film anywhere. Wanting to find all the movies so that a fellow IMDber could also see them,I did an extensive search over the weekend,and by pure chance,was able to finally start believing in unicorns.The plot:Taking care of her ill mum since she was a child, Davina dreams of traveling to a world of knights in shining armour, dinosaurs,and shining unicorns. Getting closer to her long-term crush Sterling,Davina starts to look towards the open world. Going on a road trip with Sterling, Davina discovers a world far from her fantasies.View on the film:Seamlessly blending earthy drama with handmade flight of fantasy,writer/director Leah Meyerhoff & cinematographer Jarin Blaschke give Sterling and Davina's road trip in incredible Mumblecore intimacy,with a light colour stylisation and fragile camera moves bringing out the raw emotion between the couple. Dipping into Davina's imagination, Meyerhoff brings her dreams to life with a sweet kooky vibe,where the colourful stop-motion animation neatly contrasts the rustic,dusty appearance of the open road.Layering their travels with Davina's narration, the screenplay by Meyerhoff drives into a Showgaze groove,with Davina and Sterling's exchanges hanging in the air with an awkward warmth, and a deep feeling of a passage of time gliding pass Davina's fantasies fading into the distance. Sitting next to Peter Vack's great, rough round the edges performance as Sterling, Natalia Dyer gives an excellent,attention-grabbing performance as Davina,whose expresses face chimes with the whimsical and the melancholy of Davina's unicorn dreams.

At the conclusion of this beautiful film, my first thought was "FINALLY." Finally, a teenage girl in a film who actually reminds me of my adolescent self, finally a teenage girl story that is reflective of real experiences which are very relatable for many women today.Leah Meyerhoff's direction was magical, and truly captured the perspective of a teenage girl. The acting was superb, and every scene animated or not was a piece of art. I could go on, but I'll end by noting that this film inspired me to want to tell real stories about women; stories that matter.Thank you Leah!

When I first saw "I Believe in Unicorns" I was immediately struck by its power; completely enamored by its sheer beauty and the importance of its narrative. What specifically struck me was how unabashedly truthful it is, unapologetically entreating us to understand a young girl's plight for serenity and what that may mean. Its pendular narrative dances between fantasy and reality revealing how a girl copes and ultimately accepts the brutalities and pain of the world in which she lives; rightfully redefining the "coming of age" genre entirely. The film really spoke to me, and I believe it to be a must see for every woman of any age.