Cold November is a unique coming-of-age tale from the perspective of a young girl in a matrilineal family. Exploring activities usually portrayed by male characters in movies, it is a refreshing approach on themes without the familiar gender bias. It deftly blends hunting, familial rites of passage, and the biological maturity of becoming a woman. It functions as a tone poem, with a contemplative exploration, focusing on quiet moments, and it explores the internal struggles of coming into one's own place in a family and, in a greater sense, society.

Cold November is a sober yet joyful look at Florence, a young woman, coming of age. Set in matriarchal family of hunters she manages to come to grips with her place in the structures of finitude, family, and the food chain. There's a brief terror the moment you realize you are born to suffer and die. Cold November dares us to return to the shock of that moment by inviting us into the unique life of Florence, a 12 year old waking to adulthood. The power of the film lies in this - the sensitive nuance of this brief moment in one adolescent's life, carries such depth and authenticity, the art of cleaning a deer becomes a dare to face your own end.Adults live in a disenchanted world, aware we are in the process of becoming worm food. At some point our naiveté understanding of the world dies and we left with the challenge to truly life before we die. In Cold November you meet three generations of matriarchs in the middle passing down the keys to living, all the while their veracity is up for grabs. This story of trauma, family, shame, and breakthrough should not be missed

Cold November is a deeply moving experience that combines themes of family, empowerment, maturity and grit to create a captivating picture of a young girl's transition to womanhood -- and the family dynamic that surrounds her. By harvesting her first deer, the thoughtful and at times meditative portrayal of 'Florence' by newcomer Bijou Abas, will draw viewers into a slice of rural midwestern life that may seem foreign to some at first, but is ultimately relatable to nearly everyone. Director Karl Jacob, creates space for us to feel the pain of loss, the mystery of nature, the longing for belonging and the love of family in what is one of the great indie films of this year. Highly recommended!

A well made feminist film that shatters and American stereotype and adds a new story to the gun conversation.