In the early 1990s, queer teenager Jaime is sent to live with her devout Jehovah’s Witness relatives after the death of her father. Early on Jaime makes an unexpected connection with Marike, the daughter of a prominent Witness elder. The two are instantly drawn to each other, and begin a secret, unspoken relationship. But when their attraction becomes too obvious to hide, the community moves to separate the two, forcing them each to make a terrible choice between faith and love.

Montreal filmmakers Sarah Watts and Mark Slutsky join forces on their debut feature to share this thoughtful and relatable story of forbidden romance and the intensity of first love. Anwen O’Driscoll and June Laporte play the compelling couple, gifting us with some standout scenes of queer bliss. While Marike seems tortured and incapable of commitment, our loyalties lie with O’Driscoll’s characterization of Jaime, who imbues the role with an unapologetic attitude that is worth the watch.--Lucy Mukerjee

Mark Slutsky and Sarah Watts