BEANS - Directed By: Tracy Deer
Synopsis (IMDB): Based on true events, Tracey Deer's debut feature chronicles the 78-day standoff between two Mohawk communities and government forces in 1990 in Quebec.
BEANS is one of those movies that stands out in the crowd and leaves a lasting impact on you. The movie is very good at pacing its story by following the perspective of a young girl nicknamed Beans. We follow her during the events of this standoff and she is sadly forced to grow up at a very fast pace. Beans learns how to become someone who is not only a survivor, but also a bit of a fighter as well. The beautiful thing about this movie is that it blends this story with real life footage of the event. It is super sad to see that these things were happening, but it brought a lot more depth of the kind of horrors she was dealing with. Through her struggles we see her character develop more adult like behavior. She wants to grow up quickly in order to take on the world. Kiawentiio is the actress who plays Beans and for someone of a young age, she is able to deliver a very powerful performance. There are numerous scenes within this movie that are both physical and mentally demanding in her performance. I see a very bright future for her in the film industry. I have to say that the entire cast of this movie were able to deliver a great performance. Seeing this family in this constant struggle was heartbreaking to watch. The whole family and group of friends in the movie had such a spectacular on screen dynamic. All the interactions felt very real and genuine.
Tracy Deer, the director, made a fantastic movie right here. Tracy, someone who is Mohawk, you can tell that this was probably a very personal story to tell. A story that needs to be told, at that. BEANS gives us an inside look of what a family would have been going through at the time of these events. Thankfully we also see the importance and impact people coming together and fighting for what's right can do. This movie contains a lot of elements. It allows the viewer to better understand what happened and the effects those events could have on a child. We can all relate that we as humans want to find our place in the world and learn about our own identity. To find a way to be proud of our backgrounds and culture. At the end of the movie we see her introduce herself as her real name relinquishing the nickname Beans at her new school. This was the perfect ending because she is finally able to gain her own identity.
I still have a lot to think about with this movie and the impact it had on me. I truly think people would get something out of watching it. Beans is also very educational on an event that I don't think a lot of people have heard of. There are some great powerful moments that really showcases everyone's acting capabilities. The movie leaves you hopeful. Sadly a lot of the events on the screen are very similar to events that are still happening today, which needs to be addressed. It is a very different coming of age story as well. I would say that this is a great movie that people should go and check out! You will not be disappointed. Make sure to check out the Miami Film Festival Category for more articles and coverage.
