Sylvie of the Sunshine State: The “family documentary” – ranging from Sarah Polley’s acclaimed Stories We Tell to Gayle Kirschenbaum’s Look at Us Now, Mother – is a popular nonfiction subgenre. Sasha Levinson’s 2022 effort examines the job of parenting in times of COVID-19.- Sylvie of the Sunshine State (movie 2022) review: Sasha Levinson’s excellent documentary – featuring the filmmaker’s titular daughter, mother, and stepfather – shows the obstacles to parenting during the COVID-19 era.
Sylvie of the Sunshine State (movie 2022): First-rate mother-daughter documentary depicts the humorous difficulties of being a parent in times of COVID-19
Sylvie of the Sunshine State is presented through the eyes of nine-year-old Sylvie, the subject of this documentary directed and cowritten by her filmmaker mother (commercial director Sasha Levinson) during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The film offers a depiction of parenting on a number of levels, all under pressure by a pandemic that puts mother and child in close proximity for an extended period of time. The results include a lot of crying and a few tantrums, in addition to some unexpected behavior on the kid’s part.
Great ‘characters’
Besides the time we spend with Sylvie – who doesn’t always like or want to be filmed, which might fairly be an issue for some viewers – Levinson turns the camera on her relationship with her own mother and stepfather. The couple are great “characters,” aware of Sasha and Sylvie’s foibles (e.g., Sylvie’s weight and Sasha’s parenting style) while being no less aware of their own eccentricities.
In all, Sylvie of the Sunshine State is a wonderful film – a meditation conveyed through a child’s unique perspective. One that is touching, revealing, and, I imagine, familiar to many parents who’ve parented through the pandemic.
Sylvie of the Sunshine State (movie 2022) cast & crew
Director: Sasha Levinson.
Screenplay: Sasha Levinson & Jonathan Sanford.
Cast:
Sylvie Bellanca … Self
Sasha Levinson … SelfCinematography: Sasha Levinson.
Film Editing: Chris Brown.
Producers: Chris Brown & Jonathan Sanford.
Production Company: Le Film Shop.
Distributor: Juno Films.
Running Time: 92 min.
Country: United States.
“Sylvie of the Sunshine State (Movie 2022)” notes
Sylvie of the Sunshine State movie credits via the IMDb.
See also: Review of Summer Moore’s entertaining COVID-19 era romcom web series Pandemic Pillow Talk.
See also: Review of Alrik Bursell’s “wickedly clever” sci-fi thriller The Alternate.
See also: Actress and filmmaker Radha Blank makes an astute directorial feature debut with The Forty-Year-Old Version.
Sylvie of the Sunshine State movie image: Le Film Shop.
“Sylvie of the Sunshine State (Movie 2022): COVID Parenting Woes” last updated in April 2023.