WATER LILIES
France, 2007, 95 minutes, Colour.
Pauline Acquart, Louise Blachere, Adele Haenel.
Directed by Celine Sciamma.
First time director Celine Sciamma says she is remembering and dealing with questions of ten years earlier in her own life as she charts the story of three fifteen year old girls during a summer holiday. She also says she was intrigued by synchronised swimming and this is how she leads us into the stories.
The film is really a portrait of Marie, introverted, feeling awkward about her less than developed body, pals with the largish Anne (though not above being nasty to her about her size), infatuated with the team captain, Floriane, who is the kind of homecoming queen type. The portrait of Anne is of a childish girl who feels out of place though really wants to be in place, relies on Marie but who is singled out for favour by the local jock, Francois, who is the prom king type with Floriane. Floriane is not all she looks. She is attracted to Marie and not to Francois but enlists Marie’s help to stop her seeming to be the local virgin.
She is finally seen gyrating alone at a dance, completely self-absorbed.
Complications, emotions, distress, immaturity and infatuation.
1.A film about adolescence? Girls? Growing up? The suburbs? Relationships? Sexuality? French style?
2.The town, homes, the swimming pool, parties? Authentic and real? The musical score?
3.The swimming pool itself? The visuals, the pool, the changing rooms, the showers? The parties? Real?
4.The synchronised swimming, the children, the tots, the younger girls, the teenagers? Their coordination, performance? The old-style Hollywood musicals? An achievement for the girls? Teams, captains? The boys?
5.A woman’s world? The almost absence of boys? The absence of parents? The complete focus on fifteen-year-olds?
6.The girls themselves, their background, family, education? Self-knowledge, not? Curiosity? Communication? Friendship? Sexual identity?
7.The portrait of Marie, by herself, watching the swimming, wanting to join? On the outer? Her friendship with Anne? Home life? The affection towards Anne, sharing with her? Her later being nasty to her about her breasts? The meeting with Floriane, the captain, her infatuation? The meeting, the discovery of the sexuality? The plan about the boys? Floriane and her virginity? Her concern? Marie and her refusal to act? Her changing her mind? The clinical look at the loss of virginity? The aftermath? Marie, devoted to Floriane, going to the party? Discussions with Anne, anger with her? Going shopping with Anne, the shoplifting the necklace? The gift to Francois? The party and Floriane’s narcissistic dancing? Her going home – her future? Her being with Floriane, looking at the ceiling – her comment on retaining images of ceilings when people die?
8.The portrait of Anne, large, in the team, her abilities? Her embarrassment in the changing room, coming out? Childish, wanting the McDonald’s? toys? Shoplifting? Giving the necklace to Francois to give to Floriane? Francois and his coming to her, the sexual encounter? Her dependence on Marie, Marie’s rudeness to her? Her leading Francois on, spitting? Returning to Marie?
9.The portrait of Floriane, the captain, beautiful, her reputation, flirt? With Francois? Her sexual refusals? The encounter with Marie, communicating, talking, the ceilings? Wanting to have a flirtatious reputation? The virginity? Her request of Marie? Later Marie fulfilling it? Going to the dance, spurning Francois? Leading him on? Finally seeing her dancing self-absorbed?
10.Francois and the boys, the stereotypes, at the swimming pool, sexual flirtation? At the party? Francois and Floriane, her refusal, his going to Anne, her saying she liked him? Spitting?
11.An insight into children? At fifteen? Girls? The director and her own past with swimming, sexuality, growing up? Her perceptions about girls at this age and their preoccupations?
