Amy George (2011)

Navigating the delicate transition from childhood to adolescence in the heart of Toronto is thirteen-year-old Jesse--a boy precariously perched on the edge of adult deliberations and youthful naivety. As the only child of his liberal-minded, middle-class parents, Sabi and Tim, Jesse finds himself yearning for an identity distinct from his uneventful existence. His aspiration to become an artist, ignited by a school assignment called the Freedom Project, sets him on a journey of self-discovery. The assignment—an invitation to capture a figurative self-portrait—is the spark that lights up his mundane life. Jesse, with camera perpetually in hand, steps into a world of uncertainties and new experiences. He reads about the philosophies of being a true artist and feels unequipped due to his sheltered upbringing. In his quest for the essence of artistry, he seeks out risk, ecstasy, wildness, and women, oblivious to the implications of his actions or behavior. His path is not solitary, however, as he finds guidance in two critical figures. Tara Morrison, a family friend who helps him with homework, becomes his confidante, a beacon of adult wisdom in the sea of his adolescent confusion. Simultaneously, the allure of Amy George, the slightly older girl living down the street, draws him in. She becomes the embodiment of his artistic fantasies, the muse for his developing self. Amy George is a compelling, microbudget independent drama that acquaints us with a pivotal time in a boy's life. It's a tale that peels back the layers of the adolescent mind, revealing a side of youth that's often least likeable yet profoundly relatable. This journey of self-exploration and self-definition is a testament to the trials of growing up, beautifully encapsulating the struggle to find one's place in the world.

Amy George is a drama movie featuring Gabriel del Castillo Mullally and directed by Yonah Lewis.

Amy George is currently streaming on MUBI and MUBI Amazon Channel.