A group of young BMX riders are confronted with the unexpected and violent death of Jonas, one of their friends. Fifteen-year-old Jesse was the only one to witness the incident and others look to him for answers. With a sensibility reminiscent of Gus Van Sant’s Elephant and Paranoid Park and Matt Porterfield’s Putty Hill, Violet rattles us with its sustained tension and portrayal of the senseless violence that grips a group of teens. An unsentimental look at youth in search of identity. (Ghent International Film Festival / Festival du Nouveau Cinema) - KJ