How Nikita Got Herself a Horse

In the opening minutes of this surprising portrait of Nikita, a disarming, horse-loving 13-year-old girl, it’s hard to imagine that a few years ago her life wasn’t going nearly as well as it is today. Now she chatters away in her strong Amsterdam accent, talks about her pets and family, and even feels comfortable enough to sing a little—which she does beautifully.

Director and cameraperson Anneke de Lind van Wijngaarden films Nikita in her room and playing outside in the snow. In separate conversations with Nikita and her mother, we gradually hear Nikita’s story: about the years that she was bullied at primary school, about a dangerous accident, and about how she came to have a horse. And how that proved to be not only her salvation—but the horse’s as well.