Hope

Running time: 101 mins

Cezanne said all art is in the details. When it comes to dealing with a powerful and crafty art thief, a young idealist better have all the details right.

One night, with his girlfriend?s video camera, Francis records the theft of a highly valued Italian painting from the church where his father is the organist. Afterward Francis contacts the thief, a well-respected art dealer named Benedict, and declares he?s not after any cash payoff; he only wants the painting returned to its rightful place in the church. Otherwise, he?ll go to the authorities with the evidence.

Rafal Fundalej as the loner Francis has a wet-behind-the-ears look, but a demeanor and a strength that transcend his tender age. Part cat and mouse intrigue, part coming of age, part love story, Hope unfurls like a rich tapestry, splashed with color and inventiveness, spinning off into unexpected territory, but never losing its way.

Pete Crane