Bunny King (The Babadook’s Essie Davis) spends her days washing car windshields on a busy street, pocketing the change she earns in tips. For now, she’s sleeping on her sister’s couch, but she’s saving up for a place of her own. What Bunny wants more than anything is to be reunited with her two children who’ve been placed in foster care, and until she finds her own house, family services won’t let her act as their parent. When a plan that would finally allow Bunny to bring her kids home falls apart, Bunny is forced to become a champion not only for herself and her children but also for her teenage niece Tonya (Thomasin McKenzie, Jojo Rabbit), who’s desperate for her help.

With her first feature, director Gaysorn Thavat has made a deeply affecting film about a woman refusing to back down from a system that’s stacked against her. At each step of Bunny’s journey, the film grounds itself in her pain and passion, and thanks to Essie Davis’ fearless work, Bunny becomes an indomitable hero. A testament to resilience in the face of adversity, The Justice of Bunny King is served in exquisite fashion. —Jose Rodriguez

Gaysorn Thavat