Final Girls Berlin Film Festival Review: Kaya

One of the films that is due to premiere at the Final Girls Berlin Film Festival next week is ‘Kaya’.

‘Kaya’ is a 12-minute short film set in Mexico. The film revolves around Kaya, a woman whose younger sister, Luna, has been kidnapped by human traffickers. During her search, she stops at a truck stop one night and confronts two of the traffickers and helps a female victim escape. 

‘Kaya’ is brilliantly directed by Catherine Fordham. Shakira Barerra, who plays lead character Kaya, is also fantastic, not only acting as a figure who’s going through a harrowing journey, but also as someone who is wanting revenge for what’s happened to her younger sibling.

Her physical acting, during the fight scene that the film does show us, is beautifully choreographed and believable. 

The use of symbolism between the central fight scene, of which we don’t see but instead hear, and the Looney Tunes cartoon that we do see is fantastic. The cartoon features a small bird being chased by two cats and ends with the tiny bird eating one of the huge characters.

The parallels really emphasis that women are strong and will fight to survive just as much as men will. Women are often seen as weak, or not as capable as men and this is simply not the case.

The film is paced perfectly and is direct, never once softening its disturbing subject matter. Kaya tells a simple, tragic but compelling story that is, unfortunately, still relevant in the modern world, and gives us a powerful message at the end: May All Beings Be Free.

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