JOSEPHINE STEWART-TE WHIU | NEW ZEALAND | 2024 | 83 MIN | ENGLISH
Set amid the conformity of 1950s New Zealand, We Were Dangerous finds a pair of fiery teenagers shackled by the restrictions of a reform school for delinquent girls, where they’re forced to rely on their wits and sheer defiance to endure the harsh rules intended to stifle their rebellious spirits. The two students’ attempt to flee the oppressive institution sets off a fateful sequence of events, and the pair are forcibly relocated to a remote island where the head matron intends to tighten her iron grip. From abrasive lectures on femininity to contentious Bible lessons, the girls face maltreatment at every turn. Harsher rules and an enigmatic new pupil inspire the girls to strengthen their bonds to survive. But their supportive relationship is put to the test, as the suffocating terrain threatens to dissolve the links holding them together. In this powerful depiction of girlhood coming-of-age, the resilience of female solidarity is put to the ultimate test.
Cast: Erana James, Nathalie Morris, Manaia Hall, Rima Te Wiata
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