This is my fourth film categorised into the French new-wave sub genre and it was the most surprising one so far. While watching, I was expecting to dislike a protagonist, or be ready to have my expectations crushed by some form of realism intruding its way into a fantasy.
Instead I was simply invited to observe the final months of childhood of three teenagers as they go explore and form relationships that we all dream of. It’s charming and warm, and watching Liliane and Juliette wave off Michel in the climax as he sails away for the army feels simply unfortunate, as we knew it was inevitable but it still felt far off; yet it’s still bittersweet, as it’s a sweet bookend to a highlighted chapter of these characters lives.
Jacques Rozier’s submission into the new-wave genre is a unique and more optimistic one, but the characteristics are still there. It has a documentary feel during the public scenes as the passer-by’s were clearly not informed much about being in a movie beforehand, and it feels like a slice of time being captured too rather than solely a slice of life story that the loose narrative helps aid to.
This is my fourth film categorised into the French new-wave sub genre and it was the most surprising one so far. While watching, I was expecting to dislike a protagonist, or be ready to have my expectations crushed by some form of realism intruding its way into a fantasy.
Instead I was simply invited to observe the final months of childhood of three teenagers as they go explore and form relationships that we all dream of. It’s charming and warm, and watching Liliane and Juliette wave off Michel in the climax as he sails away for the army feels simply unfortunate, as we knew it was inevitable but it still felt far off; yet it’s still bittersweet, as it’s a sweet bookend to a highlighted chapter of these characters lives.
Jacques Rozier’s submission into the new-wave genre is a unique and more optimistic one, but the characteristics are still there. It has a documentary feel during the public scenes as the passer-by’s were clearly not informed much about being in a movie beforehand, and it feels like a slice of time being captured too rather than solely a slice of life story that the loose narrative helps aid to.
