Director: Marija Kavtaradzė

Stars: Greta Grinevičiūtė, Kęstutis Cicėnas

Lithuanian writer-director Marija Kavtaradze’s picture is a flawed, but nonetheless affecting romantic drama that explores a relatively neglected subject.

The luminous Grinevičiūtė is Elena, a contemporary dancer who also teaches at movement classes. Elena is single but has sexual partners who she exhibits no real affection for.

While teaching a class to young deaf people, she strikes up a conversation with Dovydas (Cicėnas) their interpreter. A friendship develops which leads to romance. Then Dovydas reveals to Elena that he is asexual. The couple decide to pursue a relationship anyway and attend to each other’s differing needs.

The initial courtship is movingly conveyed via small glances and minor incidents caught in intense close-ups via handheld cameras. Grinevičiūtė also gets to channel her character’s feelings via intimate, tactile dance sequences as Elena rehearses with colleagues. A pithily comic trip to Elena’s brittle mother makes Dovydas aware of his new partner’s insecurities, and after Elena’s attempts to initiate sex, he begins to worry that he is not enough for her.

The script sports the odd narrative contrivance, such as Elena’s friendship with a nun who has opted for celibacy which feels a little too schematic, while the songs on the soundtrack are clumsily on-the-nose. The picture is bolstered considerably by the two relatable leads who exhibits a genuine chemistry.

Slow is released 22nd May

David Willoughby

Follow David on Twitter @DWill_Crackfilm