Rural New Zealand, the early 2000s, when going online meant tying up the family phone line. Fourteen-year-old Sydney, known as Sid, is beginning to understand that she is drawn to girls, but everything around her nudges her towards boys she finds unappealing, and she cannot find the words for what she feels. Desperate to belong, she attaches herself to a group of older teenagers and the self-assured Lana, leaving her loyal friend Tia behind for parties, drugs and piercings. At home her father Leo, who gave up art for lawn maintenance, is bitter and short-tempered, oblivious to her need for affection. Over a long summer, through Christmas and New Year, Sid's missteps pile up as she learns that growing up rarely goes smoothly. Critics welcomed a sensitive double debut. Paloma Schneideman, writing and directing her first feature, handles intense, unspoken emotions with a sure touch, and newcomer Ani Palmer captures the awkward limbo between childhood and adulthood. Its portrait of teenage group dynamics rings true, with humour edging towards the absurd that invites viewers to laugh at their younger selves, and Noah Taylor is outstanding as the father, revealing unexpected depth. The film treads familiar coming-of-age ground and can be slow, but its emotional pull builds steadily until, by the final stretch, Sid's fate matters a great deal.