B.F.E.

A provincial American city. The sort of place that everyone wants to get away from as quickly as possible, though not everyone can find a way to do so. And if they do, they may not have the courage to go through with it. Ever-present boredom and a feeling of helplessness are interspersed with a series of bad decisions by the young protagonists. They try not to give up, seeking refuge in casual relationships or, more often, drugs and alcohol. The motto "Live fast, die young" seems to be the only principle they try to follow. Every party has to come to an end, however, and the next day’s hangover signals a return to an everyday reality in which not everything is as it seems at first glance. Serious problems may be hiding under the guise of banal conversations. Shawn Telford’s feature-length debut leaves a bitter taste. The nonlinear narration creates tension right up to the final scenes, with only the hypnotic music providing a slight respite.