A standout at last year’s Cannes Film Festival is the Ukrainian crime drama The Tribe, a film told through non-verbal acting and sign language with no voice overs or subtitles. If that doesn’t sound interesting enough, note the fact that the cast is made up of entirely non-professional actors. It is a modern day silent movie with a vibrancy that will leave a lasting impression on those who are willing to experience this unique art film.

Lost souls come together at an insular co-ed Ukrainian boarding school for the deaf, where new student Sergey (Grigoriy Fesenko) quickly learns that in order to hang with the cool kids, he has to prove himself worthy. What begins as harmless high school pranks quickly turn dark as the group expose Sergey to their illegal involvement in truck stop prostitution of fellow classmates and robbery, with the expectation that Sergey is to follow in their footsteps.

As his responsibilities grow within the group, his confidence and attitude change as well, and not necessarily for the better. His love for fellow classmate Anya (Yana Novikova) grows, despite the fact that he is in charge of pimping her out nightly. His feelings begin to cause trouble for the confused teen, and headed towards an existential crisis, he is pushed to the brink of insanity.

It’s hard not to become attached to Sergey or Anya, and as the lights come up we are harshly transported back into reality, wishing for a moment longer in their world.

Sergey’s coming of age story is a universal concept and familiar theme, but the way in which we experience his plight is unforgettable. The film’s writer/ director Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy is nothing short of a cinematic visionary, who states that he has been working on this film for over 20 years. What must have been an extremely difficult film to direct, especially since Slaboshpytskiy is not deaf himself and depended on a sign language interpreter to relay directions to the cast, seems effortless. Everything is intentional, from the run-down dorm rooms to the innocence of the characters themselves. His hard work has definitely paid off ten fold.

Most of the scenes are shot in a one take, making the actors the sole focus. What’s more, the lack of dialogue makes the performances feel much more heightened. Our eyes bounce around frame as we are more observant in trying to pinpoint just who our attention should be focused on.  If there was any film that fits the criteria of “performance driven,” this is it– like an intimate dance between lovers, friends, and enemies.

I can’t think of the last movie I went to that left me physically uneasy, and I say that as a compliment. I felt cold sitting in the theater, and I attribute that to the phenomenal production design and overall tone of the film. The icy, barren landscapes of the city does its job in setting up the world in which the kids live in. The film’s color reminded me of the Ryan Gosling drama The Place Beyond The Pines– muted, but alive. 

The run-down boarding school, the dirty and desolate truck stop, and the hopelessness of the characters drum up emotions of pity while remaining insanely touching and beautiful. It’s hard not to become attached to Sergey or Anya, and as the lights come up we are harshly transported back into reality, wishing for a moment longer in their world.

Screening at such festivals like Cannes, Toronto International, Sundance, and AFI among others, The Tribe has been one of the most buzzed-about films of the year. The attention this film is getting is fully justified, and not just for its original use of sign language. At its core, the story is compelling, the performances pull at the heartstrings and the result will resonate with you way past the 132 minutes run time. The Tribe was made for an audience waiting for an authentically beautiful and powerful piece of cinematic art.

The Tribe opens at The Cinefamily on Friday, June 26th until July 2nd.