What may start off as a trivial act in most circumstances – turning one’s gaze to something at the wrong moment – can have different meanings and consequences depending on the context. In this case, a film that begins with a small moral dilemma is transformed into an examination of gender imbalance in a conservative society. A woman going home on the bus after a long day’s work spots a boy stealing the wallet of an unsuspecting victim. When she accuses the boy, impromptu popular justice ensures that he is thrown off the bus. Later, when the woman gets off, she is stalked by the boy, who is looking for revenge. A gripping sequence follows, deploying a minimalism and a formalism reminiscent of Hitchcock to heighten the tensions and uncertainty that lie around every corner and make every gesture seem significant, bringing inner fears to the surface. It is also a portrait of the silent fear and helplessness experienced every day, which is only resolved – or prolonged – in the final image of the film, a last gaze somewhere between hope and discouragement. (JA)