Of Girls and Horses is an engagingly beautiful coming of age story about two young girls finding love and responsibility. Written and directed by Monika Truet, Of Girls and Horses is a delightful film filled with stunning landscapes and strong women.
Alex (Ceci Chuh) is almost out of chances when her parents send her to a ranch in the German countryside. She has a history of drug abuse and self-harm that has left her detached and self-involved. Nina (Vanida Karun) focus’ Alex’s attention on the horses at the ranch, giving her duties and responsibilities that keep her busy. When Kathy (Alissa Wilms) arrives at the ranch for a holiday, the two young girls develop a bond that goes further than their mutual love of horses.
Nina works at the ranch in order to find the peace she can’t get at home in Hamburg. Waiting eagerly for her return is her girlfriend Christine (Ellen Grell) who is always calling and cant really understand why Nina wants to spend so much time away. Nina tries to be a positive influence on the troubled Alex, showing her how to work with horses and teaching her to ride. When Alex steals some of Nina’s medicine and swaps it for drugs at a local club, instead of getting mad, Nina gives her one more chance to redeem herself.
Of Girls and Horses has no huge climatic moment, and no big declarations of love or horrible moments of despair. It is a simple approach to two young women falling in love while they play around in the mud and have hay fights. Chuh’s ability to seem disinterested at the thought of living while still remaining engaging is an achievement in itself. Her performance is nuanced and brilliant in that she can show so much growth in character without changing too much about her personality. She is still detached and guarded, but you can tell she is warming to her newfound responsibility. Wilms and Chuh seem at ease in each other’s company as their friendship evolves into something more. Their little glances and brief touches give their otherwise playful relationship more depth.
Treut’s simple yet captivating story is driven by strong female characters that all have their own spirit and are confident in themselves. Of Girls and Horses captures the interest of the audience with stunning scenery and characters that feel flawed and true.
Ultimately, Of Girls and Horses is a beautiful coming of age story that I found compelling even in the slowest moments. The ability to make a film where not a whole lot happens, and every conflict is resolved without much conflict in the first place, and still have it keep the audiences attention is an achievement. With brilliant performances and a simple, uncomplicated story, Of Girls and Horses is both delightful and mesmerising to watch.