Palindromes

Aviva is a young girl growing up in a troubled home, yearning for love and acceptance. Desperate to become a mother, she becomes pregnant at a young age, but her family's intervention leads to a traumatic abortion. This event causes Aviva to run away from home, embarking on a journey through suburban and rural America. Along the way, she encounters a series of eccentric strangers, families, and outcasts, each with their own complicated views on morality, religion, and childhood innocence.

Throughout her journey, Aviva’s character is portrayed by different actors—varying widely in age, race, and appearance—mirroring the fragmented and ever-changing facets of her identity. She finds herself drawn into radically different environments, ranging from a fundamentalist foster family to more perilous and exploitative situations on the road. These experiences reflect society’s conflicting attitudes about family, responsibility, and agency. Aviva's voyage highlights the challenges faced by young women struggling for autonomy in a world shaped by adult hypocrisy and dogma. As she searches for connection and meaning, her innocence is continually tested by those around her, ultimately posing questions about fate, personal choice, and whether people can truly change their destinies.