Fantasia Fest Coverage: Baby, Don’t Cry (2021) – A Devastating Coming-of-age Film That Showcases A Variety of Talent Both In Front of And Behind The Camera

Fantasia Fest 2021: Baby, Don’t Cry Review

Directed By: Jesse Dvorak

Starring: Zita Bai, Vas Provatakis, Helen Sun, Boni Mata

Plot Summary: Baby, a withdrawn and sensitive 17-year-old Chinese immigrant from a troubled home, is living in the outskirts of Seattle. One day, she meets a 20-year-old delinquent named Fox. Together they embark on a twisted journey to escape their hopeless fate.

Kicking off my coverage of Fantasia Fest is Baby, Don’t Cry, the feature film debut of Jesse Dvorak. Filmmakers have often tried to simulate the painfully awkward life of teenagers. While some present a candy-coated, low stakes approach, others like Jesse Dvorak and Zita Bai give us a narrative that is equally charming and sensitive yet is raw and deeply uncomfortable. Zita Bai does double duty not only playing the title role of Baby but also wrote a brilliant screenplay. It’s through Bai’s lens that we go through what can only be described as a rollercoaster of highs and lows that perfectly mimics what it feels like to go through high school as someone who feels like an outsider. As a teen who was aware of being Queer, this is something that I can very much relate to.

But Bai adds her own cultural layer to it, which I think further makes this such an interesting and refreshing take on the coming-of-age genre. Jesse Dvorak takes a lot of big swings for his first feature and, I think for the most part they pay off. In the director’s statement, Dvorak describes the film like a fable, and interestingly enough, in my notes for this review I wrote down that it felt like a dark fairy-tale. Indeed, the film’s use of animal imagery, notably a Fox (and the male lead is not so subtly named Fox), coupled with its use of deep dark woods and a frightening maternal presence further cements this as a grim-tale.

Tonally, the film is a bit jarring, but I actually think this works in Baby’s favor because I never felt like I was on any kind of safe footing at any time. Therefore, I always had this feeling of tension and uncertainty. Not to mention I think it makes the finale (which of course I will not spoil) feel organic and wholly earned. Zita Bai gives what I think is such an outstanding performance, and she brings so much depth to the character of Baby. Given the fact that Bai wrote the character, it’s easy to understand why she is able to sink into her so completely. It’s a powerful and unflinching performance and, in my opinion something that will hopefully launch her into super-stardom. Vas Provatakis plays Fox, an equally complex character and, like Bai, gives what I think is a layered and completely honest performance. The pair have a great chemistry together and work off one another really well. This is even more amazing when you factor in that Bai and Provatakis had no rehearsal time and had to connect in the moment. Equally good is the supporting cast, which includes Helen Sun and Boni Mata.

Baby, Don’t Cry is a devastating coming-of-age film that showcases a variety of talent both in front of and behind the camera. If there is any justice, this will launch the careers of Zita Bai, Jesse Dvorak and Vas Provatakis.

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