Paloma Schneideman’s first feature film follows 14-year-old Sid (Ani Palmer) during a crazy summer in rural New Zealand in 2006. She has to deal with peer pressure, figuring out who she is, and family problems to fit in with older teens. Sid tries drinking, smoking, flirting with boys even though she doesn’t like them, and developing a crush on her sister’s friend Freya (Rain Spencer). But she ends up heartbroken and learns more about herself as she goes through painful growing pains. The movie shows how confused millennial teens are without using any clichés. It does this by showing realistic scenes of social dynamics, betrayal, and survival.
Ani Palmer plays Sid in a gritty, real way that makes her a breakout star known for capturing teenage angst. Noah Taylor plays Sid’s inattentive father Leo, Rain Spencer plays Freya, Tara Canton plays sister Adele, and Ngātai Hita plays best friend Tia. Their interactions are complicated but real. In this queer coming-of-age story, the cast does a great job of showing how vulnerable and complicated people can be.
Critics praise the movie as a sensitive and insightful Sundance 2026 premiere that explores the motivations of teens with rare maturity, realistic cinematography, and emotional honesty. Reviews point out its nostalgic 2000s setting, awkwardness that makes you cringe, and lack of dark extremes like Thirteen, which makes Schneideman a promising director. It gets a lot of praise for its heartfelt themes and Palmer’s powerful performance.
