Les roseaux sauvages (1994)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

André Téchiné

Writers:

Olivier Massart (writer)
Gilles Taurand (writer)

Release Date:

10 May 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

In a village in the Southwest of France, 1962. Maite and Francois are 18 years old. They are friends...

Plot Keywords:

Friend | Algeria | Homosexual | Classroom | Sunflower

Awards:

8 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Élodie Bouchez	...	Maïté Alvarez
Gaël Morel	...	François Forestier
Stéphane Rideau	...	Serge Bartolo
Frédéric Gorny	...	Henri Mariani
Michèle Moretti	...	Madame Alvarez
Jacques Nolot	...	Monsieur Morelli
Eric Kreikenmayer	...	Pierre Bartolo, the Groom
Nathalie Vignes	...	Irène, the Bride
Michel Ruhl	...	Monsieur Cassagne
Fatia Maite	...	Aicha Morelli
Claudine Taulère	...	Nurse
Elodie Soulinhac	...	Colette, Girl at Party
Dominique Bovard	...	Guard
Monsieur Simonet	...	Guard
Chief Officer Carre	...	Officer

Also Known As:

The Wild Reeds (International: English title) (festival title)
Wild Reeds (USA)

Runtime:

110 min | UK:115 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | USA:Not Rated | Germany:12 | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:13 | UK:15

Company:

Ima Films

Trivia:

Stéphane Rideau and Gaël Morel have worked together in two films: Les roseaux sauvages (1994) and Loin (2001). Also, Gaël Morel has directed Stéphane Rideau in four films: La vie à rebours (1994), À toute vitesse (1996), Premières neiges (1999) (TV) and Le clan (2004).

Quotes:

Serge Bartolo: The death of a brother is tough. I thought I'd die. But there is something even tougher, tougher than war. It's that life goes on.

Movie Connections:

Version of "Tous les garçons et les filles de leur âge...: Le chêne et le roseau (#1.1)" (1994)

Soundtrack:

Frühlingsstimmen (Voices of Spring)

Boy loves boy, but loses to girl in 1960's Provence

Gael Morel play the 18 year old Francois, a French schoolboy at a boarding school in Provence. The time is 1962, and France is at the height of the Algerian crisis. Just like America in 1968, all schoolboys are fearful of being sent to fight an unpopular overseas war as soon as they are of draft age.

Francois is gay, and falls in love with fellow student Serge, played by Stephane Rideau. Serge initially reciprocates his affection, leading Francois to assume that he is also gay.

But Serge falls for their teacher's daughter, Maite, who is also 18 years old, and chooses her over his boyfriend. Francois is heartbroken.

The other star of the movie is the soundtrack by Chubby Checker, with all of his '60's hits.

And the beautiful countryside of Provence also stars. Like most French movies, the pace is slow with long periods of inaction but beautifully photographed scenery. There are also some visually striking scenes of the boys cavorting in the river. This is different to American tastes, but nice in its own way.

The movie is good at handling complex feelings. The boys are confused as to their developing sexuality. The war in North Africa looms over their impending manhood. Friendships and allegiances change overnight. Death comes home for them as Serge's brother is killed in Algeria. Serge has to choose between a then difficult gay existence and a straight life with Maite running the family farm.

A similar movie is American Graffiti, which also deals with teenagers coming of age. But certainly not to the same depth, and without many of the complex issues of the Wild Reeds.