I had the lovely opportunity to get watch a screening of Little Tornadoes earlier this week and it was a lovely story that I sincerely enjoyed. Written by Cristos Tsiolkas and Aaaron Wilson, who also directed this film, it explores a story of love, loss and the importance of forming connections, set in the gorgeous country lands of Australia during 1971. The setting is gorgeously displayed throughout the film, with scenes of the wide open farmland fields, as well as contrasting bodies of water, flowing in between. Not to mention the hues of the changing seasons and the night sky, which were both a spectacle on their own. In short, the cinematography was nothing short of a masterpiece.
Diving into the plot, Little Tornadoes is a deep story that beautifully explores the challenges of family loss and how to work through those feelings, set in a small farm town. Both Mark Leonardo Winter and Silvia Clloca display an mesmerizing performance, playing Leo and Maria respectively, that are so distinctively different yet similar in some ways. Leo’s inability to regain comfort in his own home and Maria’s experience as an immigrant overlap in themes such as emptiness, isolation and the human desire for connection. The story, though a little slow, develops depth in its portraying of connection through various relationships, including Leo and Maria’s connection itself.
The story explores that love lies not only in intimate relationships but rather everywhere, whether that be between grandparents and grandchildren, just two friends from work, or between a person and the place they choose to call home. This film displays love as a universally joyous thing, which I believed was an endearing sentiment. Especially coming back from Covid, we need to cherish connection and the time we spend with others, rather than longing for things that may never occur. An easy 3.5 stars in my books, thanks for the awesome time Cinema Nova!
Article written by Nishtha Sharma
Image courtesy of Fan-Force Films