Slow

Friday, May 3 - Thursday, May 16, 2024

Friday, May 3 & Saturday, May 4: Q&A with director Marija Kavtaradze at 7:15 p.m.

Contemporary dancer Elena meets Dovydas when he is assigned to interpret via sign language in a class she is teaching to deaf youth. Their connection is immediate, kinetic, and frictionless. As they gravitate toward each other, resisting the forces and interventions of their separate daily lives, their bond deepens from platonic to romantic. When Dovydas discloses his asexuality, the couple commit themselves to honoring their individual needs in tandem. As they continue to weave more tightly together, they struggle to negotiate sacrifice and compromise and are forced to discover the edges of their generosity toward the other.

Marija Kavtaradze’s sophomore feature shows off her muscular intimacy skills. Through dance, tense quietude, and a stunningly singular exploration of asexuality, she forefronts physicality and its limitations in the expression of emotional expectation. The two leads, Greta Grineviciute (Elena) and Kestutis Cicenas (Dovydas), conjure undeniable chemistry and heartbreakingly complicated, stubborn, and private humanity. The result is an instantly recognizable dance between self and other; this one choreographed with elegance, grace, and love.

Winner: Sundance Film Festival Directing Award, World Cinema Dramatic

“A lush and sensual drama… stirring and moving at every turn.” — Vox

  • Country Sweden
  • Language English
  • Running Time 108 minutes
  • Format DCP
  • Distributor KimStim
  • Director Marija Kavtaradze
  • Cast Greta Grineviciute, Kestutis Cicenas, Pijus Ganusauskas, Laima Akstinaite, Vaiva Zymante
  • Accessibility Assistive Listening, T-Coil

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.