A MOSQUITO IN THE EAR is playing at SBIFF (Santa Barbara International Film Festival), and I had the opportunity to see an early look – here’s my spoiler-free take:
The opening shot of a paper airplane sets the heartfelt journey to India in motion. As the airplane glides across the screen, it captures not only the innocence and whimsy often associated with childhood but also introduces the contrasting complexities that await. This clever visual cue hints at the mix of joy and challenges for Andrew (Jake Lacy) and Daniela’s (Nazanin Boniadi) journey to adopt the “adorable” Sarvari (Ruhi Pal). What starts as a standard adoption story quickly becomes a compelling, nerve-racking narrative with family at its heart.
Director Nicola Rinciari is great at capturing interesting camera angles and sound design within A MOSQUITO IN THE EAR. There are intense moments captured through the eyes of the soon-to-be adopted child, Sarvari, that play like every parent’s nightmares. Intense moments, such as being confined in a small hotel room with a child overwhelmed by the situation, are accentuated by the handheld camera work.
My only nit with A MOSQUITO IN THE EAR is that audiences will be able to tell at times that this is based on a book (in this case, a graphic novel called UNA ZANZARA NELL’ORECCHIO). This is due to scenes with on-the-nose dialogue, where, in the visual medium of film, it could’ve been shown rather than said.
Technical critiques aside, what stood out the most in the film was the dynamic of how quickly parents become… parents when in the presence of a child. The lack of sleep and high-stress situation puts even the most loving couple on edge. This is magnified even further by adding the wrinkle of an American family adopting an Indian child. The film thoughtfully explores the cultural dynamics involved in cross-cultural adoption, highlighting the challenges and joys of bridging those divides.
Final Thought: The dynamic performances by Lacy, Boniadi, and Pal make A MOSQUITO IN THE EAR worth audiences’ time, and it’s all held together by a visually impressive feature-length directorial debut from Rinciari.
A MOSQUITO IN THE EAR premieres at SBIFF on opening night on Wed 2/4 – 8:00 PM
