FIRST GIRL I LOVED
US, 2016, 90 minutes, Colour.
Dylan Gelula, Brianna Hildebrand, Mateo Arias, Pamela Adlon, Tim Heidecker.
Directed by Karen Sanga.
First Girl I Loved is a serious reminder of how themes of sexual identity and orientation have changed since the reticence of half a century ago, the late 1960s, and now with contemporary films.
This is a significant film for and about 18-year-old girls as well is their parents and for those who are apprehensive about facing issues of sexual identity, the psychological, emotional as well is ethical repercussions.
It is surprising that this film has been written and directed by a man, Kerem Sanga, who also wrote and directed a film about teenage pregnancy, The Young Kieslowski. First Girl I Loved seems very much a female film, in the characterisations, in the dialogue between the two girls, even to their chatter and mannerisms, and alertness to female sensibility.
The central character is Anne, Dylan Gelula, a strong-minded 18-year-old who, nevertheless, is revealed as very confused. In the opening scenes we see her photographing a young woman, Sasha, Brianna Hildebrand, a softball champion and we realise the attraction. However, the next sequence shows a young Hispanic student, Cliff, at home with his grandmother, receiving a phone call from Anne to come and look at her new bike. They are best friends, confidantes, talking over all the issues but with Anne hesitant about the key factor in her life – although we realise, as the film goes on, that Cliff has a presupposition about his sexual relationship with Anne.
On the pretext of doing an interview for the school magazine, Anne visits Sasha, ask her awkward questions, but the two get on well and do a great deal of texting, especially about teenage sexual satisfaction, as well as meeting, going to a clothing shop, sharing experiences.
When Anne’ bike is stolen, she has a clash with Cliff whom she suspects and is violent towards him, suspended from school, to the shock of her disabled mother who react badly and slaps her daughter, instantly regretting it. Which means that Anne asks Sasha whether she can have a sleepover at her house. It is then that the complications arise, especially when they sneak out at night to go to a club, dance and kiss, are photographed by an onlooker, a photo which causes deep problems.
Anne becomes more and more confused, remembering an encounter with the young man who took the photo, succumbing to Cliff’s requests but then declaring herself to him, to his bewilderment.
When the photo is published, Sasha’s parents are highly indignant, there is a school meeting with Anne’s mother and Sasha’s parents, with the school counsellor who has listened to Cliff’s story, with Sasha and her hesitation in telling the truth.
Finally, Anne gets a sympathetic ear, declares her orientation and is prepared to move forward in her life.
The value of the film is in its insightful depiction of the characters and their problems, the uncertainties of this age, expectations of them, sexual developments and sometimes inability to deal with these, especially in a society where there do not seem to be any norms and helpful moral compasses.
1. A contemporary story, contrast with the past about identity, sexual identity? 21st-century version of these questions?
2. California story, universal story? The suburbs and the streets, homes, the multi-racial background, school, sport, the magazine office, nightclubs? The musical score?
3. The introduction to Anne, with a camera, at softball, seeing Sasha, focusing on her? Indications of Anne’s orientation?
4. The introduction to Cliff, with his grandmother, her drinking, falling, talking about love, the Hispanic atmosphere, the phone call, going to see Anne, her new bike, their friendship, ability to talk together? The mutual trust? Cliff and his sexual attitudes, realising them or not, the consequences?
5. The treatment of the gay theme, in close-up, with small detail, the girls chatting and giggling, the frank talk, the scenes together in the bedroom, club? The relationship to their parents, secrecy, behaviour, appropriate or not? Confusion? Dealing with phobias?
6. Anne’s perspective, her age, 18, a single mother and her disability, working at home? A late awareness about her orientation? Discussions with Cliff, about going to the softball, unable to talk about Sasha as a girl? Going for the interview, pretending about her car, the questions, personal, her wanting answers? The continued texting and the audience seeing the texts on the screen? Meetings, the clothes shop, Anne and her clash with her mother, her mother slapping her, the violence towards Cliff and the interview with the principal? The stayover with Sasha, her mother’s delight? Going out, the club, dancing, kissing, the photo taken? The return, in bed together? Sasha and the change? The sexual encounter with Cliff, her being willing, her reaction, her declaration to Cliff? Following Sasha, calling out to her on the field, Sasha turning her back? The disappearance of the bike, her attack on Cliff? Working at the magazine, the photo in the magazine? The meeting of the board, her mother present and mystified, Sasha’s parents, the counsellor, the staff of the magazine, the principal? Her leaving with her mother? Sasha not admitting the truth? Using Sasha’s name for the HIV test, the good result, talking with the woman at the shop, being heard? Discovering the bike? The portrait of an 18-year-old and her journey?
7. Sasha, champion at softball, the family, the interview and her reactions, meeting with Anne, the attraction, her being disturbed, ignoring the softball coach’s instruction and her failure, texting, crying, the interchange at night, masturbation? Going out, the shop and the clothes? Meeting Cliff, the meal with him? Her spurning to 7, her friends, the consequences? The photo, the yearbook, the board meeting, her denying 26? The final look?
8. Anne’s mother, disabled, her work, not knowing what was going on, upset, slapping her daughter?
9. Sasha’s parents, at home, the hard line at the meeting?
10. Cliff, responding to the counsellor, swearing him to secrecy, telling him the story of the sexual encounter with Anne? His presence at the final meeting?
11. The magazine, the manager, and at her upset, discussions with Cliff? The new production? His presence at the meeting?
12. Cliff, ordinary, 18, friendship with Anne, talking, his presumptions about her, the clash, the disappearance of the bike? The sexual encounter, Anne’s response and distaste, her declaration, his feeling he had been led on? The meeting with Sasha, the meal with her? Anne and the violent attack, the issue of the apology, the meeting with the principal? His putting the photo in the magazine? The meeting?
13. The principal, Anne and her violence, the talk with Anne’s mother, her presiding at the meeting?
14. The issue of the photo, the man taking it at the club, sending it by phone, Sasha and the secrecy, the motives for putting it in the magazine? The consequences?
15. The story of 18-year-olds, the direct linear narrative, the insertion of the flashbacks to explain what had happened and visualise it? Urges, emotions, infatuations, love, search, confusion, behaviour, angers, consequences?
