Hemel

A tale of a young woman’s compulsive and transgressive sexual behavior that features ample shots of its characters’ nether regions, Hemel at first feels like a Dutch female version of Shame. But helmer Sacha Polak’s debut pays equal attention to the complex family bonds that underlie its protag’s psychological makeup and inform her actions. Hemel (which means “Heaven” in Dutch) knows that her bond with her father is rock-solid, though both are unaware that their rapport often feels closer to a de-facto marriage than a healthy parent-offspring relationship. This beautifully lensed look at the moment just before a daughter has to let go of her father belongs to stunning newcomer Hannah Hoekstra. Her Hemel is impulsive and rude, supremely confident but also fragile and needy. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)