BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOUR/ LA VIE D’ADELE –CHAPITRES 1 ET 2

France, 2013, 179 minutes, Colour.
Adele Exarchopoulos, Lea Seydoux.
Directed by Abdellatif Kekiche.

Blue is the Warmest Colour is an arresting title although it is not quite explained during the film. The French title is much more realistic, The Life of Adele, Chapters 1 and 2. This title appears on the film itself.

The film was warmly received in Cannes, 2013, winning the Palme d’Or.

However, the film was not without a great deal of controversy, at the festival and with the films distribution. While the film is the story of a young woman, starting at the age of 17 and moving into her young adult years, it is a study and close portrait of Adele, growing in self-awareness and coming to the realisation of her sexual orientation. At first, this puzzles her, until she sees a young woman in the distance, a striking woman, with a blue hair rinse. She watches in fascination, feeling the first stirrings of attraction.

The woman with the blue hair, Emma, comes into life, meeting her, talking in a friendly manner, the two sharing their lives and hopes. The attraction becomes stronger, becoming a forceful sexual attraction which leads to sexual encounters between the two young women. There are several scenes of sexual intimacy, quite detailed in their sensuousness and sensuality – which challenges the audience to ask themselves whether they are empathising with the two women and their experience and love or is this something prurient, even voyeuristic (or both). It should be said that this is a very long film, three hours, and the first explicit encounter does not occur in the film until after 75 minutes, which gives a strong context for the scenes, and with so much of the film yet to come in the study of the two young women.

Adele Exarchopoulos is able to hold the story together, from the eager schoolgirl running for the bus at the beginning, to talking with her friends at school, often with some sexual curiosity, to her hopes to become a teacher, to her training and qualification (which occur off-screen), to her working with kindergarten children with some tenderness, a little more moody when she has to teach writing and dictation, but, despite the disappointments in her life, she is resilient.

Lea Seydoux is Emma. She already has quite a number of films in her career, especially Lourdes and Farewell My Queen. At first glance, with her blue hair, audiences might make judgements about her. In fact, she is a very sympathetic character, an art student with talent for painting, succeeding in her profession with several exhibitions. As she encounters Adele, she gradually falls in love and the experience with Adele has profound effect on her.

But, as the years pass, and as with heterosexual couples, life takes on a more even pace, passion diminishes, and there is the possibility of fidelity and infidelity, the dying of the relationship. This has quite a profound effect on Adele, who loves Emma and has become strongly emotionally dependent on her. It is not the same with Emma who becomes enraged when Adele behaves stupidly and risks their partnership.

The director has made some interesting films, including La Grain et le mulet/ The Secret of the Grain. He is originally from Tunisia but has lived in France, bringing a different sensitivity and sensibility to his film-making, especially from male director making this very female-centred film.

But he is a skilful storyteller, maintaining a quietly even pace, highly attentive to details of background and in the characters’ behaviour, so that the audience feels within an hour that they have got to know the two characters well – and the reality of another two hours running time to understand them and appreciate them better.

A challenging film for all different stances in these years of diverse public and private opinion on same-sex relationships and commitments.

1. The reputation of the film? Its awards, prize at Cannes? The controversies about its sexual themes and treatment?

2. The two titles, the French title with The Life of Adele, Chapters 1 and 2? The title of the original novel, Blue is the Warmest Colour, the title used for international distribution?

3. The impact of the film, its length, attention to detail, the telling of a day-by day story, intimate detail? Emotional? Audiences identifying with Adele and Emma? Or not? The story of a young woman, growing up, self-awareness, sexual awareness, shock, adaptation and learning about herself?

4. The theme of sexual orientation, influence on character and behaviour, importance for life and commitment, love? For personal choices? For personal struggle? Love and self-giving, dependence?

5. Adele’s story, aged 17, emerging from the house, running for the bus, going to school, the group of friends at school, the girls, the gay boy and his friendship, as a confidant? The prurient questions and discussions? Writing her diary? At home, the spaghetti meals, a love for her parents, their care for her? Her room? The boy at school, the girls talking about him, the date, the experience, the sexual experience? Adele’s reaction? Her girlfriends wanting to talk about detail?

6. Adele seeing Emma, with the group, the women, striking blue hair? The interest and attraction? Adele watching her? The meeting, the talk, the gay boy and going to the club, the camera focusing on the gay couples and their intimacy, behaviour? Adele’s reaction, puzzle, reticence, fascination? Meeting Emma and their talking?

7. The kiss with the school girlfriend? The impact on Adele, the girl saying not to make too much of it? The contrast in talking with Emma, sharing the stories, self-discovery, the girls and their reaction to Emma? Going to Emma’s house, enjoying the meal, the sexual experience, the intimacy? Going to Adele’s house, the spaghetti meal? The sexual experience in her room? Emma’s parents and their awareness of their daughter’s orientation? The 18th birthday party, all the friends, Emma coming? Emma and her art, Adele posing?

8. Emma, the blue hair, with the group, her butch style, studying art, coming to meet Adele, the friendly talking, the effect, the age difference? The sexual encounters and their significance for each girl? Going to the meals, her previous life, approving parents, a group of friends, Adele posing for her, going out, the parties, the exhibition? Emma’s friends, artists, actors, gay men and women?

9. Adele and her interest in being a teacher, doing something for others? The off-screen study and qualifications? Seeing her as a teacher, with a little ones, playing, a natural warmth with them? The dictation classes, reading and writing, on the blackboard? The changing moods? Her co-teachers and their participation in the classes?

10. Emma, busy with her art? Adele and her spending nights with the fellow-worker? Coming to tell Emma, lying, Emma’s insistence, forcing the truth out of her, Adele weeping, saying she did not know why she had done it? Repentant? Emma, a strong tone, even vicious, ousting Adele and calling her a slut?

11. Adele, wandering, feeling hurt? Going back to classes, the scenes at the beach? Keeping busy, resilience?

12. Emma, Lisa at the party, her pregnancy, former companion? Adele, the actors, the discussions?

13. Time passing, the invitation to the exhibition, Adele dressing nicely, walking, going into the exhibition, seeing the paintings, the past paintings of herself? Meeting the actor and the discussion? Sadness, talking with Emma, congratulating her, quietly leaving?

14. The effect on Adele, having to move on, the scene in the restaurant, Adele and her dependence, weeping, touching and licking Emma, the kiss, her hopes? Emma, the responses, unable to commit herself, asking forgiveness? Living with Lisa, a new life?

15. Adele, walking alone, hurt, dependent? For Adele’s life, Chapters 1 and two? Chapter 3?