‘ROSIE’ is the contagiously delightful tale of an orphan who finds a home with her estranged aunt in Montreal.
Finding where one belongs often also includes finding one’s family — your kin, however that is defined for you. They are the people that love and care for you no matter what, and they’re not always blood relatives. Many create their own families when faced with rejection from other ones, or hold membership in multiple families that relate to different parts of their lives. Regardless of how or who, family is important. In ROSIE, a girl needs a new home and the woman least qualified to care for her may be her only hope.
Rosie (Keris Hope Hill) is six years old and her mother recently died. The only next of kin child services is able to find is her aunt Fred (Melanie Bray), but she’s in no shape to become the kid’s guardian. Fred creates Basquiat-esque paintings, is behind on her rent and spends a lot of time hanging out with her two trans friends, Flo and Mo (Constant Bernard and Alex Trahan, respectively). When the social worker drops Rosie off with Fred, neither is very keen on the arrangements. Both of them make attempts to run away from the situation, but neither is successful nor does it resolve their problems. However, making the best of it is an uphill battle and they keep backsliding.
In spite of Fred’s reluctance to keep Rosie and her fervent efforts to return her, the film is an uplifting story thanks to Rosie’s inherently joyful attitude. At such a young age, she radiates innocence and curiosity. Rosie is not afraid to ask any question of anyone, immediately questioning the largeness of Fred’s female friends and bonding with an Indigenous vagrant because they have a common nationality. Her openness to the world is the heart of the picture. Rosie yearns for the family she lost and Fred is the next best thing, whether she likes it or not. Flo and Mo also take to her very quickly, extending Rosie’s family so she has three caregivers looking out for her.
The film has a clear message of accepting people for who they are and not asking them to hide for any reason. Flo’s family disapproves of her life, but when circumstances call her home, she’s faced with the difficult choice of going back in the closet to appease them. Mo wants to be on the stage, but is terrified of an audience, in spite of Flo’s encouragement. Rosie is an “Indian” and Fred is convinced that’s why they couldn’t find another home for her. Yet, there is a clear effort to help Rosie connect with her heritage rather than try to forget it.
It’s not often a child shows so much passion on the screen, but Hill exhibits intelligence in her performance, capturing the nuances of Rosie’s emotions as she struggles with feelings of abandonment while maintaining a positive outlook. Thus, the last act takes on a bit of a fairy tale quality, but it just elevates the heart-warming aspects of the movie.
ROSIE had its world premiere in the Discovery programme at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Read other reviews from the festival.
Director: Gail Maurice
Starring: Melanie Bray, Keris Hope Hill and Constant Bernard
