Told through two siblings’ contrasting viewpoints, this moving drama considers the fallout of a bitter breakup as childhood certainty fades and familial bonds are put to the test.
Peijnenburg does a good job of showing that when adults think they’re being discreet, they most certainly aren’t. These kids hear and see everything. As far as relatable stories go, this one won’t have any trouble finding its audience
A Family 2026
Maria (Carice van Houten) and Jacob (Pieter Embrechts) are in the midst of a volatile separation. Shown in two chapters and entirely from the perspectives of their adolescent children, the film looks at the same three weeks twice through mirrored perspectives. Despite the siblings living through the same moments, A Family reveals the isolating effect divorce has on children and their sense of emotional security.
Taking centre stage is Nina (Celeste Holsheimer), a bright dance enthusiast whose confidence and lust for life has already waned. The teenager looks for solace away from her family, but her parents’ situation has affected her perception of love - she fears her first romance may spiral into something similarly cruel. On the other hand, younger brother Eli (Finn Vogels) has a malleable eagerness to please, which comes with its own consequences and leads to increasingly withdrawn behaviour.
Focusing on the interplay between parents and children, director Mees Peijnenburg considers how children of divorce mature at the cost of their innocence. Through their parents’ flaws, Nina and Eli come to realise their brother-sister bond is worth fighting for.
- Madison Marshall