Snow and the Bear

Directed by Selcen Ergun, Snow and the Bear follows Merve Dizdar’s Asli as she arrives at a small, remote village to begin work as a nurse and is subsequently drawn into the problems of the various residents. There’s little doubt that Snow and the Bear fares best in its deliberate yet relatively engaging first half, as filmmaker Ergun, having kicked the proceedings off with a striking opening shot, does a superb job of establishing the central character and the isolated environs in which she finds herself – with the promising vibe enhanced by decidedly lived-in feel that’s been hard-wired into the proceedings (ie the many periphery figures are impressively fleshed out). And although Asli’s involvement in a mystery involving a missing resident does hold some promise, Snow and the Bear builds towards a third act that seriously drags and effectively ensures the whole thing fizzles out long before arriving at its anticlimactic conclusion – which ultimately cements the film’s place as a disappointing misfire that feels like it should be much better.

** out of ****