PALINDROMES

USA | 2005 | DCP | 100 min.
Director: Todd Solondz
Cast: Ellen Barkin, Stephen Adly-Guirgis, Jennifer Jason Leigh

12-year-old Aviva, desperate to have a baby, runs away from home, setting off on a surreal and troubling journey through middle America. In Palindromes, writer-director Solondz’ bold move is to have Aviva played by eight different actors of varying age, race, and gender. The result is a provocative, darkly comic, and unsettling film that skewers the hypocrisies of American family values, faith, and moral absolutism in a post-9/11 landscape. The movie also functions as a partial sequel to Solondz’ breakthrough feature, Welcome to the Dollhouse. A new 4K restoration will be shown.