QUAND ON A 17 ANS/ BEING 17

France, 2016, 117 minutes, Colour.
Sandrine Kiberlain, Kacey Mottet Klein, Alexis Loret.
Directed by Andre Techine.

Being 17 was co-written (with French writer and director, Cecile Sciamma, Tomboy, Water Lilies, Girlhood) by the director of the film, Andre Techine, in his early 70s. Perhaps an unusual project, focusing on two adolescents, but also focusing on several adults, both sets of parents of the two boys.

The film is rather magnificent to look at, an extraordinary Alpine setting, majestic mountains, sheer cliffs, forests and rivers and in different seasons, especially the snowy winter and the sunshine of spring and summer.

Andre Techine has always been interested in themes of homosexuality and, almost as soon as the audience sees the two boys and their fierce antagonism towards each other, they will know where the plotline is directed. And they are not wrong.

Damien is smaller and more intellectual than Thomas, the adopted son of farmers, racially different from most of the people in the area. Both of them are the last two to be chosen for the basketball practice sides. It emerges in the class seems that Damien is interested in poetry and literature, although goes to a neighbouring friend for training in martial arts and self defence. Thomas lives on a farm, an hour and a half walk and drive each way to and from school, wanting to be a vet, but his grades are very low. There is an automatic dislike of Damien whom he trips in the classroom. They have several fights and have to be separated by the teachers, Thomas ultimately being suspended from school.

In the background, is Damien’s mother, a kind and efficient doctor, willing to put herself out for anyone, Sandrine Kiberlain. Damien’s father, an adventurer, has joined the military, flies helicopters, is in danger spots, mentions that some of his colleagues have been killed. The family communicates by Skype and, suddenly, there is a pleasing visit from the father who bonds strongly with his son.

The doctor treats Thomas’s mother and moves her to hospital, suggesting that Thomas move in with the family so that he will not have the travel, will be able to do more study and improve his grades. Damien is not amused but accepts something of the sharing of the household – although, the two boys go in to the mountains for a far rather vicious fight, bruises all over which the doctor eventually discovers. Thomas is suspended from school.

Eventually, it is quite clear that Damien is infatuated with Thomas. At one stage, he says that Thomas owes him a favour and he asks him to drive him out to where he has arranged a rendezvous with a man whose address he picked up on a gay website. Thomas says that he knows what is happening – and they fight again, Thomas falling and breaking his wrist.

The relationship is an up and down one, antagonism and infatuation, complicated when news comes of Damien’s father’s death in action. His mother goes into grief and passivity. Thomas tries to help, letting Damien go to school while he looks after the mother. It is nearing the end of the film so we know that it is time for the two boys to express their attraction, experience the physical sexual encounter – and make us wonder what is going to happen to them in the relationship and in the future.

As with all the films of the director, it is particularly well made, looks impressive and has some interesting performances.

1. A French version of the relationship between two 17-year-old boys, initially antagonistic, bullying and fighting? But the inevitable acknowledgement about their feelings for each other, sexuality, culmination of sexuality and love? The future?

2. The work of the director, many decades of French stories, the interest in homosexuality and these themes in his films?

3. The Alpine setting, the ruggedness and beauty of the mountains, the scenes in the mountains, the farmer’s hut, the birds, the forests, the cold river, the contrast with the town, homes, shops, school, school buses? The musical score?

4. The introduction to the two boys, the basketball practice, neither being chosen, Thomas being chosen before Damien? The
antagonism and the play? In the classroom, Damien reciting Baudelaire, answering questions? Thomas and his disdain, tripping Damien and his falling? The later attacks, the fights, teachers separating them, calling in Damien’s mother, the threats?

5. Damien and his family, the only son, his father in the military, with helicopters, the discussions by Skype, the bond in the family, Damien admiring his father? The personality of the father, cheerful, coming home, limited time, bonding with his son? The mother, doctor, her being on call, helpful? Going up the mountain, meeting Thomas, his turning the car round for her, the gift of the hen and his breaking its neck? The doctor treating his mother, the infection, her pregnancy? Her previous pregnancies and then not coming to birth? Her husband and his work on the farm, her simple life? Their having adopted Thomas – and his being racially different, but their accepting him, love for him?

6. Damien, going to see the friend of the family, the training in martial arts, the punching bag…, Damien and the suggestion of his girlish response?

7. The fight with Thomas, the difficulty of his travelling back and forth to school, his low grades, his interest in being a vet? Damien’s mother, her concern, wanting Thomas’ mother to go into hospital, suggesting he come live in the house, Damien’s reaction? The arrival of the father, his concern about the two, welcoming Thomas into the house?

8. The structure of the film and the three trimesters, the different attitudes between the two boys in each phase?

9. Thomas, at school, studying, improving, getting the best mark, work in the lab, the opportunity for study?

10. Damien, still antagonistic, covering his infatuation? The decision to go into the woods and have a fight, their bruises? Thomas and his going into the river, naked, the cold?

11. Thomas, aloof, aloof at school, gradually making friends? But his feeling an outsider, adopted? Damien on the computer, the gay sites? Asking Thomas the favour, to drive into the farm, his encounter with the man, his pretending to be older, the man’s pretence to be younger, honesty but no contact? Thomas, going on a tour of the farm, interested in the developments and improvements? Telling Damien
that the man said why they had come? Getting out of the car, Damien and signs of affection, the clash, Thomas’s fall, injuring his wrist, the
cast?

12. Damien, talking with his mother, explaining the reasons, her quiet acceptance of his sexual orientation?

13. The news of the death of the father, his having spoken about people dying, the difficult places, explaining to Thomas that he liked adventure? Damien and his anger that the bleeding could have been stopped?

14. The mother, distraught, unable to function well? The funeral? Thomas’s father forcing him to come? The aftermath with the mother, confined at home, disabled by grief?

15. Damien appreciating that Thomas had come, the fact that Thomas had been suspended after the previous fight, the mother seeing the bruises on each?

16. Thomas’s mother, giving birth, moments of joy, Thomas holding the baby?

17. The discussions between Thomas and Damien, Damien going to school, Thomas taking the mother up into the mountains, the view and the beauty, supporting her? The kindness with the birth of the baby, deciding that she needed to go ahead in her life and her work?

18. Damien, the previous approach to Thomas and the rejection? The kitchen, Thomas saying he was apprehensive, going to the bedroom, the sexual encounter, waking, the further sexual activity, nudity?

19. The two boys, acknowledging their orientation, their behaviour – and, at this age, the future of their relationship, the future of their lives?