‘Ama Gloria’ Review

A Heartfelt Meditation on Growing Up, Letting Go, and the Meaning of Parenthood

Ilça Moreno Zego as Gloria and Louise Mauroy-Panzani as Cléo in "Ama Gloria", courtesy of BFI Distribution

Film: Ama Gloria. Year: 2023. Genre: Drama. Director:
Marie Amachoukeli-Barsacq

We’ve seen many remarkable kid actors taking on lead roles in features and delivering excellent performances. Many went on to have successful acting careers, such as Emma Roberts (Unfabulous), Lindsay Lohan (The Parent Trap) and Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine). We wouldn’t be surprised if Louise Mauroy-Panzani follows in their footsteps. Mauroy-Panzani, who portrays Cléo in Marie Amachoukeli-Barsacq’s directorial debut, gives us one of the most attention-grabbing (in a good way), mesmerizing and deeply moving performances we’ve seen by a young actor/actress in a while. While her graceful and naturalistic acting alone is worth the price of admission, the film itself has much more to offer. Ama Gloria is an exceptional portrayal of a charming relationship between a six-year-old girl and her nanny; of maternal love and familial relationships.

Amachoukeli-Barsacq’s bite-size feature — which only runs 83 minutes — looks straightforward initially. You see how Caucasian young girl, Cléo (Mauroy-Panzani), and her nanny of African or Creole origin, Gloria (Ilça Moreno Zego), have a great time together. There’s joy, playful…