Photo: Céline Sciamma's Water Lilies
Director Céline Sciamma's debut can lay the sensual lyricism on a bit too thick, but her depiction of girls struggling to adjust to and survive teendom is suitably raw, avoiding dewy-eyed visions of first love and social conflict for a bruised, tender portrait of growing up as a confusing, traumatic period of constant readjustment. Losing one's virginity is presented as a thorny, harrowing event-metaphorically visualized by the sight of swimmers' lower halves kicking about underwater-and Marie's (Pauline Acquart) abandonment of loyal but uncool Anne (Louise Blachère) for chilly but beautiful Floriane (Adèle Haenel) captures the selfish callousness that kids are capable of when social standing and self-esteem are at stake. Nick Schager
Director Céline Sciamma's debut can lay the sensual lyricism on a bit too thick, but her depiction of girls struggling to adjust to and survive teendom is suitably raw, avoiding dewy-eyed visions of first love and social conflict for a bruised, tender portrait of growing up as a confusing, traumatic period of constant readjustment. Losing one's virginity is presented as a thorny, harrowing event-metaphorically visualized by the sight of swimmers' lower halves kicking about underwater-and Marie's (Pauline Acquart) abandonment of loyal but uncool Anne (Louise Blachère) for chilly but beautiful Floriane (Adèle Haenel) captures the selfish callousness that kids are capable of when social standing and self-esteem are at stake. Nick Schager
