Life is full of wonder, whether you live in a rural place or in a big city. However, that wonder is mostly missed by those that are caught by the limitation of opportunities or simply become a victim of circumstances. Whatever it is, it’s proven that nothing should stop a free spirit from flying high as soon as the wings of love have been spread – towards freedom.
Alex Tibaldi’s “Spiral Farm” revolves around a 17 year-old Anahita, her life in a farm, her transition to adulthood, understanding how she can become a part of society she had no idea about, her dreams that may come true if she simply follows them, and the true feeling of being free when words such as “I want” no longer causes pain after saying it. So the farm life has its own beauty, but the beauty of creating a life of her own turns out to be an excellent experience for Anahita which she surely is willing to learn from.
Set in Southern California’s Spiral Farm, we meet Anahita, who is seemingly a part of this small community that does not seem to want to change its pace. Anahita, on the other hand, likes listening to rap music, dances, and hides a flyer that gives her the name and place of a dance audition which the girl so badly wants to attend. That maybe would never happen if not for the appearance of Theo Maurizio (her mom’s old love interest), who insists that she must attend the audition by all means. And when she follows his suggestion, she begins questioning her existence, the life she lives, and begins building in her mind a world larger than the one she lives in right now.
In the end, written and directed by Alex Tibaldi, “Spiral Farm” tries not to become a conventional coming of age drama that in most cases has the same ending. He, instead, takes a different approach, a non-hollywood type, in which he allows the camera to simply follow its aim, pain, Anahita’s personality, and why she must change herself by seeing the life that shines outside of the uneventful farm. Piper De Palma as Anahita delivers a solid performance, not beautifying the character from outside, but giving light from the inside, which helps Anahita to grow as an individual.