La Pivellina

It's longer than necessary, but the natural non-performance of a non-directed two-year-old is really interesting to see.

Belatedly remember seeing this at LIFF 2009, where it ultimately won the Golden Owl.

"Seems to owe much of its aesthetic approach to the Dardenne brothers, while using it for decidedly non-Dardennian purposes." - Andrew Schenker

The Dardenne-esque film benefits from its documentary style and subjects (the circus performers play themselves), combined with a fictional element injected into their living situation--the little girl. How the filmmakers got young Asia to ignore the camera might be their greatest achievement, but the film admirably avoids the cheap sentimentality often associated with its subject, and instead presents a nuanced and affecting portrait of human being's growing attachment to this child.

Very spontaneous the little girl.