Claudia Has Bad Dreams

Claudia and Eleonora, two sisters in their thirties, head to the mountains of Sicily to do some hiking and reflect on their shared past. Old drawings and home videos portray them as inseparable siblings who, in the present, have drifted apart. Tensions within the family dynamics are present at every moment, many of them related to Claudia’s unwillingness to seek help for her crack addiction.

The humane description of drug addiction avoids unnecessary moralisation, exotification, or sensationalism. The narration stays close to everyday reality and emphasises the need to understand the other. The picturesque landscape takes a secondary role, as overwhelming emotions unfold between the sisters and are observed at close range. A series of ruthless discussions and fragile moments of forgiveness show that the bond of sisterhood has never been broken, even though the love can be painful at times.
 
Eleanora Sardo’s film about her sister is a strikingly intimate portrayal of sisterhood, addiction, and emotional distance. Something deeply essential is captured in a letter written by Claudia when she was still a child: “Dear Mom and Dad, I don’t know where I am anymore. Help me.” Through all her frustration and disappointment, Eleanora can still see the small, lost person in Claudia who is kept awake by nightmares.

Aatos Ketvel (translated by Nina Molberg)

There will also be a free screening of the film at Vuotalo on 4 February at 18. Vuotalo screening does not require advance registration.

Filmmakers Eleonora Sardo and Marco Zenoni will attend the film screenings on 4 Feb and 5 Feb.