My Name is Maya at the 21st European Union Film Festival

In this emotional coming-of-age story, Niki and her sister Alice lose their mother in a car accident. Faced with separate foster care situations that will put them in different countries, the girls run away pursued by a caring social worker named Cecilia. Niki adopts the name Maya as the two siblings encounter a colourful cross-section of Roman citizens, including a handsome fire-eater named Marc and a dissolute tattoo artist who gives “Maya” a Mohawk. Through this name change, Niki/Maya is hoping to shed her skin and circumstances, but the film delicately presents how this young woman can bring her two distinct identities into a harmonious whole. Director Tommaso Agnese, who has made several documentaries, draws a vibrant portrait of urban street life and adolescent angst brought to life with memorable performances and characters. Matilda Lutz brings a memorable volatility to the lead role while Valeria Solarino (so memorable in Sea Purple) gives Cecilia an anxious solicitude that conveys her feelings over the two girls’ situation.