Mifti, age 16, lives in Berlin with a cast of characters including her half-siblings; their rich, self-involved father; and her junkie friend Ophelia. As she mourns her recently deceased mother, she begins to develop an obsession with Alice, an enigmatic, and much older, white-collar criminal. 

With a firework sensibility of joy and agony, Axolotl Overkill practically burns down the screen. The film from 24-year-old writer/director Helene Hegemann is a spree of bored, bright youth in rebellion against nothing in particular, cut together (by German editing icon Bettina Böhler) to flirt with magical realism while hangover vomiting into a Dolce and Gabbana bag.  Everything comes together beautifully to craft a whirlwind portrait that’s mischievous, smart, and substantial.

THE NERDIST