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Water Lilies (2007)

Director: Céline Sciamma

Time Out rating

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14 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

Languid, sorrowful and strange, French filmmaker Céline Sciamma’s debut as a feature writer-director is a sensitive and daring portrait of female adolescence that’s curious about all longings, sexual confusions and grey areas of desire. The Parisian suburbs and, especially, the guys and gals of a local synchronised-swimming club offer Sciamma a distinct canvas on which to plant Marie (Pauline Acquart), Anne (Louise Blachère) and Floriane (Adele Haenel), three 15-year-olds at once different and the same.

Anne is large, awkward, desperate to sleep with a boy, but childish; Floriane is good-looking, flirtatious, confident, with a reputation for putting it about; Marie is quiet and watchful, small and pretty, the hardest to make judgements about. Each is trying to find some resolution and comfort in their feelings. It’s Marie with whom we travel, our guide from poolside (such beautiful underwater sequences) to club to bedroom.

Marie grows apart from Anne when she encounters Floriane at the local pool and willingly follows her around. Is Marie’s gaze one of fascination at Floriane’s maturity? Or is Anne simply falling in love?

Author: Dave Calhoun

Time Out London 1960 March 12 - 18

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User reviews of this film

timeout.com said...

Posted on Oct 23 2011 02:35 i think this film is very good, that girl (Pauline Acquart), i thnk she is very sexy and i love the scene where the girls snog eachother very nice ! ;)
also was a funny film.

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dave said...

Posted on May 04 2011 21:37 I liked this film, but if anyone can answer my question I'd be happy to see it: What is supposed to be happening at the very end? I'm referring to the scene where the boys are all jumping, bonding, rough-housing or whatever, and Floriane is seen first with her make-up so smeared I thought she'd just been gang-raped, but then she's smiling sort-of, then finlly she's seen dancing sensually but virginally clean superimposed upon the background of allthe boys, supposedly in front of them. What was the flash of her with her mascara running everywhere? and is the dancing supposed to be how Marie still thinks of her? Anyway that's my confusion.
To address the sexual aspects briefly: I think anyone that sees anything pornographic in this doesn't quite get the film: There was no scene designed by the filmmaker to be sexually arousing, thought o each his or her own as far as watching I suppose. Rather it showed very believably the strong emotions of being that age, as anyone older will probably remember with some pain and sweetness. Like when Marie eats the apple core from Florianes trash, just to have some piece of her close, you can imagine how strong her infatuation is. And many wiill remember being so infatuated with someone at 15 that they would thing nothing of eating garbage if it meant having something from them.
Please reply if you have any comments on this all.

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Keith said...

Posted on Sep 26 2010 12:50 I enjoyed this film very much, whilst typically French in its delivery of the message/theme, it was very poignant, at times very moving and very sensitive. At 15, boy or girl, we all feel unsure of ourselves, nervous and frustrated. We feel like we're grown up, but we aren't. This was very evident and portrayed well in this film. I liked the fact the boys were minor players, as they would be in some of the characters thoughts.

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CJ said...

Posted on Apr 14 2010 20:36 Pauline Acquart reminds me of Christie McNichol when she was younger. I think this girl is going to be a big star in the future.

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yakee said...

Posted on Mar 25 2010 21:30 wonderful

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matt said...

Posted on Oct 02 2009 02:33 Ok..Good film.. just saw it on tv.. but i crnt help wondering what i just did with 84 minutes.. since the film kinda went back to where it started.. the two girls being friend.. but its on them film that is good.. but not quite sure the moral or the point of it.. but worth a watch(y)

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Jules said...

Posted on Jan 03 2009 11:05 Doesn't quite work. A film that has the pain of exploitation as a sub-theme, as Marie is led on by Floriane, itself exploits the actors in a borderline pornographic fashion. If I could have empathised with anyone it might have got me emotionally, but the characters are paper-thin. It's a short film (84 minutes); an extra 15 minutes spent on character development might have paid off.

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chris said...

Posted on Apr 23 2008 14:34 A wonderful film - I was astonished to discover this is Sciamma's directorial debut. The subject matter is portrayed with a subtlety and originality rarely seen in English or American teen films. The actors are all superb, but I found Pauline Acquart's performance particularly poignant and genuinely moving. I loved the syth-based soundtrack too - it perfectly compliments the film's distinctively simple visual backdrop.

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Tanya said...

Posted on Mar 14 2008 11:17 I loved this film!

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Jude said...

Posted on Mar 14 2008 10:08 A beautiful, funny and brilliantly acted film. I highly recommend it.

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Alicia said...

Posted on Mar 14 2008 09:43 Very moving and beautifully crafted film.

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stuart said...

Posted on Mar 13 2008 11:41 The comment you type in this box

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iiMK said...

Posted on Mar 12 2008 13:24 Funny, sorrowful and inspiring. A relaxed and natural performance. Well done!

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xxx said...

Posted on Dec 18 2007 20:19 A stunning film, both very funny and moving.

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