Naissance des pieuvres (2007)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Céline Sciamma

Writer:

Céline Sciamma (writer)

Release Date:

15 August 2007 (Belgium)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Summer in a new suburb outside Paris. Nothing to do but look at the ceiling. Marie, Anne and Floriane are 15. Their paths cross in the corridors at the local swimming pool, where love and desire make a sudden, dramatic appearance.

Plot Keywords:

Friendship | Swimming Pool | Synchronized Swimming | Coming Of Age | Swimming Underwater

Awards:

2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Pauline Acquart	...	Marie
Louise Blachère	...	Anne
Adele Haenel	...	Floriane (as Adèle Haenel)
Warren Jacquin	...	François
Christel Baras	...	L'inspectrice
Marie Gili-Pierre	...	La caissière (as Marie Gili Pierre)
Alice de Lencquesaing	...	Fille vestiaire
Claire Pierrat	...	Fille vestiaire 2
Barbara Renard	...	Natacha
Esther Sironneau	...	La vendeuse
Jérémie Steib	...	Le masseur
Yvonne Villemaire	...	La voisine
Christophe Vandevelde	...	Type boîte (as Chrisophe Vandevelde)

Also Known As:

Les pieuvres (France) (working title)
Water Lilies (International: English title)

Runtime:

France:85 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:14A | UK:15 | Japan:PG-12

Filming Locations:

Cergy, Val-d'Oise, France

Company:

Balthazar Productions

The slow voyage to adulthood

Also known as "Water Lilies" this film tells the story of two girls as they struggle their way into the world of love and sex. This story is told at a slow pace and that works very well. It gives plenty of time and space to get to know the different characters and to grow somewhat attached to them.

Using a small cast puts some extra pressure on the people playing as they all have some more screen time than normal but the people playing in this film handle that well. Everyone is completely believable. Visual setting is great, especially the underwater shots in the swimming pool add a nice effect.

Many films have been made about the same subject though and this one does not really stand out above any of them. It pulls some "standard" pressure methods out of the high hat and works on them. It isn't bad, not at all, but it surely isn't great either and I do feel it could have done better if it had taken some what less explored angles.

7 out of 10 synchronous swimmers