Becoming 13

The awkward transition from childhood to adolescence is the subject of this solid and insightful (if also conventional) Canadian documentary by director Victoria King, which follows three 12-year-old girls—Avi, Jazmine, and Jane—over the course of a year in their hometown of St. Johns, Newfoundland. A likable trio, the ‘tweens are seen preparing for school exams and competitions, as well as engaging in such modern rites of passage as negotiating for permission to get tongue studs. Becoming 13 also touches upon cultural differences, especially in the case of Avi, whose Indian heritage is reflected in a journey she takes back to Asia. But there's almost equal coverage of the subjects' mothers, all of them single parents trying to protect their children while also encouraging them to succeed. As a result, the film is not simply a portrait of typical young people growing up, but also a probing look at the difficulties faced by both children and parents when families break up; in this case, mothers forced to raise daughters left without a strong paternal presence. Becoming 13 may be set in a Canadian province, but its relevance is universal, given the increasingly common situation of single mothers heading up families in contemporary society. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)