Àma Gloria 2023

Àma Gloria is a heartwarming film that revolves around the relationship of Cléo, a spirited six-year-old girl residing in Paris, and her Cape Verdean nanny, Gloria. This captivating story picks apart the complexities and evolution of Cléo's character and her reliance on Gloria.
Gloria provides Cléo with reciprocated love and care. However, when Gloria is compelled to return to Cape Verde following her mother's passing, Cléo grapples with the anguish of separation. To ease this heartache, Gloria proposes that Cléo spend the summer in Cape Verde. Despite initial reluctance, Cléo's father eventually permits the trip.
As Cléo embarks on her journey, she encounters strained relationships, particularly with Gloria's son, César. Adjusting to her new surroundings, Cléo realises the demands on Gloria's attention, including familial obligations and a rekindled romance. Through these challenges, Cléo undergoes a profound internal shift, evolving from self-centeredness to a realisation that others have lives beyond her own.
Àma Gloria beautifully captures this transition, showcasing Cléo's growth and maturation. Marie Amachoukeli's solo directorial debut is bolstered by narrative simplicity, while Louise Mauroy-Panzani delivers an exceptional performance as Cléo. Carefully composed camerawork by cinematographer Inès Tabarin allows audiences to intimately connect with and understand Cléo's journey.

“The considerable power of Àma Gloria lies not in its take on colonial conscience, nor even in its insights into the complex economical and emotional dynamics of the child-nanny bond. It is in its unmatched portrait of one brave little heart, bruised but learning to beat on its own, after the painful revelation that to love someone completely is to want to set them free—even if that means freeing them from your love.” — Jessica Kiang, Variety