Les métamorphoses – Masculin / féminine
Tomboy
2011 / France / 82 min / Color / 35mm
Director/Writer: Céline Sciamma
Music: Para One
Cinematography: Crystel Fournier
Editor: Julien Lacheray
Cast: Zoé Héran, Malonn Lévana, Mathieu Demy
Subtitle: Ritsuko Kato
Distributor: Films Distribution
The protagonist of this film is a 10-year old girl named Laure who looks like a little boy. Rohr, who has moved with her family, takes on the name of Mikäel, and through a variety of means is able to convince the neighborhood children that she is a boy. Later in the story, a girl named Lisa, who is the same age, begins to have feelings for Laure. At first unconcerned, Laure’s family soon begins to show displeasure at Laure’s boy-like behavior and attitude…
“Tomboy” is adept at exploring gender issues within the narrative framework of a bildungsroman that takes place in the beautiful countryside in the summer, a genre setting that is a traditional forte of French film-making. The ensemble of natural performances by the children actors is superb. The film was shown as the premiere for the Panorama Section of the Berlin Film Festival and received high accolades by winning the Teddy Award Jury Priz…