Sundance 2023 Film Festival  – Writer-director Sofia Alaoui arrives with her feature debut Animalia, firmly establishing herself as a powerful talent in film. As the film opens, we meet the scrappy Itto (Oumaïma Barid) who has married up from her humble origins. Once a child in a Morrocan village, she now prances around her rich in-laws’ home, very pregnant, and gearing up for a life with her affluent husband Amine (Mehdi Dehbi). Unbeknownst to Itto, a life-changing phenomenon is just around the corner that will shift her perception of everything around her. One of the most beautifully crafted films in recent memory, Animalia stays grounded in reality while delving into ponderous philosophies.

Feigning illness, Itto bows out of having to attend yet another social event in favor of lounging about her in-laws’ posh villa. Alone, she indulges in endless snacks, streaming entertainment, and alone time. Then a strange phenomenon begins to swirl above the nearby lake. A storm ensues, making her husband’s return to the family home impossible. Amine arranges for Itto to be driven to him in a nearby city but Itto is then stranded. Alone, vulnerable, and in a strange village Itto watches as the strange phenomenon becomes more serious. At this point, her only real companion is a stray dog that seems to become her protector. Soon, Itto convinces local businessman Fouad (Fouad Oughaou) to take her back to her palatial home during a national emergency.

With the stage set, Alaoui begins to explore the various ways we interact with the world around us in a time of crisis. In Itto’s world, the government reacts to an unexplained phenomenon with force by locking down borders and controlling the immediate world around them. Amine and his rich family dismiss the phenomena as an inconvenience that hampers business while praying for “God” to guide them through. Then there is Fouad who believes in nothing but what he can see and experience. Meanwhile, Itto is coursing through her own journey of discovery. In a time of unsettling mystery, her creature comforts are torn away and replaced with anchors holding far more resonance.

Director of photography, NOÉ BACH delivers a glorious range of techniques to tell the story. There are the opening, painfully symmetrical shots of a beautiful home. These are contrasted by the handheld moments in the more rural settings and the ethereal scenes of spiritual awakening. AMINE BOUHAFA’s score matches the visuals and story with an evocative, non-invasive audio commentary. Barid is an absolute star as Itto. Her transformation from a safe debutante to an awakened being is subtle and impressive.

Sofia Alaoui‘s Animalia took me on a strange and wonderful journey. Entirely unpredictable, the storyline offers the type of meandering journey that rewards the patient viewer.

8 Out of 10