Adam’s Sake – Laura Wandel
Laura Wandel proves Playground was no fluke with Adam’s Sake, another child’s-eye drama that transforms a schoolyard scuffle into high-stakes cinema. This time, Wandel widens her scope beyond the playground to explore the fraught dynamics of a working-class Belgian family, all seen through the perspective of little Adam – a quiet boy caught in the crossfire of his parents’ separation and a community crisis. Filmed at kid-height and with vérité intensity, the film drops us into Adam’s world of half-understood adult conversations, whispered school rumors, and small acts of kindness that mean everything. It’s a keenly observant piece, often as suspenseful as a thriller even though the “action” might be a PTA meeting or a tense dinner table. The cast mixes seasoned actors with incredibly natural child performances, creating scenes so real you feel like a fly on the wall. True to form, Wandel isn’t afraid to tackle heavy themes (poverty, prejudice, the loss of innocence) head-on, but she does so with empathy and nuance, never losing sight of hope. By the end, Adam’s Sake had Cannes viewers visibly moved – and keeping an eye out for the young actor playing Adam, who might just be the festival’s breakout discovery. | © Dragons Films