Tomboy (Celine Sciamma, 2011) -
I had just a short time to fit in a film, so I admit I picked this one off of the handful on my Netflix queue that qualify for this marathon for the sole reason that it had the shortest runtime. However, when all is said and done from the films I see from here on out, I would not be surprised if this was the best of the bunch. Of course that list is full of some highly regarded, good looking films, so I also wouldn't be surprised to be eating my words. I can only imagine that this was something that showed up on Bondo's list, for he has such a keen eye and a definitive interest in stories like this. And if that is the case than I would like to thank him for bringing this film to our attention. Then again if it wasn't him, then I would like to thank whoever would be appropriate. It follows a little girl named Laure as she has just moved into a new neighbor with her family. Whether it be to fit in, or for personal preference, we never really truly find out why, but she meets a girl her age and introduces herself s Mikael, a boy, and soon finds herself hanging around the group of boys her own age. The act goes on and on, but the inevitable must of course occur eventually.
It is a very minimalist film, but does a great job of focusing in on this group of kids and leaving the adults out of it, and luckily the kids are decent actors, especially Zoe Heran in the lead role of Laure/Mikael. Through their interactions, the normal day to day activities of the young boy during summer (swimming, football, other fun and games) I was caught up in the dilemma facing Laure. We know the truth has to come out, and we also know that she is being herself, just as a boy, which makes the inevitable reveal something we wish never had to happen either. But in retrospect, we wish she would have just been truthful, but therein lies the true conflict: gender roles. Would she have ever been accepted into the group as a girl? Lisa was, but in an admittedly limited fashion.
Laure would not have played football with them, would not have played chicken on the dock with them. She would have just been a girl instead of one of the guys. It is a difficult thing with which to deal, but that is the way of the world, the structure of modern culture. Lastly, she certainly would not have wooed Lisa; Lisa would not have even given it a thought. But does it all matter? In a purely physical sense it might, but the film does well to just let the events unfold and let the film and the characters breath within their space. I can't quite come to any sort of definitive conclusion on the film, but perhaps that is actually the strength of the film too. Perhaps Sciamma doesn't want there to be any judgment, maybe she wants the film to just exist, and be what it is, as Laure longs to be. But alas, she must work within the confines of a society which is very set in its ideals concerning gender roles.
***1/2 - Great
Project Rating: 8