You are here:

A Mere Breath

Name: A Mere Breath
Director: Monica Lăzurean-Gorgan
Released: 2016
Duration: 67 min

Representation Score

5.0/10

Fair

2016

Director

Monica Lăzurean-Gorgan

Runtime

67 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

A Mere Breath is a humanistic documentary that prioritizes intimate, longitudinal storytelling over broad demographic representation. Its strength lies in its deep, respectful engagement with disability, avoiding superficial clichés to document the reality of a child's life. However, the film remains localized and traditional in its social scope, focusing on a homogeneous Romanian community and a specific family unit, which limits its breadth regarding racial and LGBTQ+ diversity. While it highlights the impact of environmental and economic failures on vulnerable populations, it does not explicitly challenge broader social hierarchies.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does A Mere Breath have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film does not include any visible LGBTQ+ characters or storylines, focusing instead on a specific family unit.

How does A Mere Breath portray gender?

Fair

The story explores family dynamics through caregiving and survival, without overtly challenging traditional gender roles.

How racially and ethnically diverse is A Mere Breath?

Limited

Set in a specific Romanian region, the film depicts a homogeneous community without any racial diversity.

How does A Mere Breath represent religion and culture?

Fair

The film captures the tension between religious beliefs and systemic decay, showing how traditional faith interacts with economic neglect.

Does A Mere Breath include disability representation?

Good

The documentary centers on a child with spina bifida over seven years, providing a profound look at living with chronic illness.

Present on Screen

Provides a profound, longitudinal study of disability and chronic illness.
Explores the complex interplay of faith and socio-economic hardship.
Offers a nuanced look at how systemic neglect affects vulnerable families.

Limited or Absent

Lacks visible representation of LGBTQ+ identities or narratives.
Maintains a homogeneous demographic focus with little racial diversity.
Does not explicitly challenge traditional gendered power structures.

Official Synopsis

Romania. Seven years in the life of a family of believers, struck by the illness of a little girl suffering from spina bifida pass before the camera, with a polluted town scarred by unemployment serving as a background.

How are these scores produced? →