MALLORY (2015) - ♦♦♦

Directed by - Helena Trestikova

"HELENA TRESTIKOVA is not new to long-term projects. In her documentary MALLORY she follows the life of a Czech woman, mother of one, recovering from drug addiction, homeless and living in a state of absolute poverty as well as suffering from depression for a period of over a decade. 

When we are first introduced to her, the film seems to lay down the card for a tale of everyday tragedy of our times. Yet, it is not so, and as the film progresses, a tone of celebratory optimism and hopefulness, as well as a tribute to the leading woman in this tale, makes the documentary ultimately inspiring. 

The relationship between director and subject can be a little trivial. MALLORY is not necessarily a personal type of documentary, meaning that when the interactions do take place between the titular woman and the filmmaker, it is mostly descriptive of her situation - there is just enough however to lessen the impact that a more drastic approach would have had on the film. Nevertheless, it remains quite a painfully honest portrayal in which the subject is allowed to speak, with TRESTIKOVA remaining mostly unobtrusive in the narrative of Mallory's own life."

Documentary, Czech Republic