A single mother tries to raise her three children in small-town Switzerland, whilst time and again coming up against the consequences of her chaotic past. This expertly told and emotionally gripping directorial debut from Jasmin Gordon signals an exciting new voice in European cinema. Instead The Courageous balances hard-hitting moments of desperation with absurdist comedy, as the crafty mother (Ophélia Kolb) will be pilfering spare change from lockers one minute, and stripping naked to distract police officers the next. Both actions remain completely within character, a tough and versatile performance Kolb delivers with delicate navigation. The fact that the rest of the film is good enough to deserve that performance is frosting on top.