Water Lilies (2007)

After meeting at a local pool over their summer break, a love triangle forms between three adolescent girls, which proves difficult to sustain as they each desire the love of another.

Director:

Céline Sciamma

Writer:

Céline Sciamma

Stars:

Pauline Acquart, Louise Blachère, Adèle Haenel

4 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Pauline Acquart	...	Marie
Louise Blachère	...	Anne
Adèle Haenel	...	Floriane
Warren Jacquin	...	François
Christel Baras	...	L'inspectrice
Marie Gili-Pierre	...	La caissière (as Marie Gili Pierre)
Alice de Lencquesaing	...	Fille vestiaire
Claire Pierrat	...	Fille vestiaire 2
Barbara Renard	...	Natacha
Esther Sironneau	...	La vendeuse
Jérémie Steib	...	Le masseur
Yvonne Villemaire	...	La voisine
Christophe Vandevelde	...	Type boîte (as Chrisophe Vandevelde)

Storyline

Three girls, each about 15, deal with puberty, the onset of sexual attraction, and, for two, the pressure of virginity. Marie, who's slight and diffident, quiet and nearly expressionless, is friends with Anne, who's a bit chunky and impulsive and has decided that François will be her first love. Watching synchronized swimming, Marie is suddenly attracted to the team captain, Floriane, beautiful, aloof, tall, and rumored to be a slut. François pursues her. Marie begins to hang around her; they trade favors, and soon it's an odd sort of friendship. Each of the three experiences her own first, and Marie must sort out attraction and friendship.

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Plot Keywords:

lesbian | coming of age | friendship between girls | lesbianism | loss of virginity | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Details

Official Sites:

Official MySpace [France] Official site [UK]

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

15 August 2007 (France)

Also Known As:

Water Lilies

Filming Locations:

Cergy, Val-d'Oise, France

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,418, 6 April 2008, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$77,310, 10 August 2008

Company Credits

Production Co:

Balthazar Productions, Canal+, Région Ile-de-France

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

When Marie first gets into the water, invited by Floriane, Marie's hair is already wet.

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Soundtracks

Sunless
by Para One

User Reviews

Beautiful cinema about adolescence

A bit slow (somehow like a Sofia Coppola movie) but still a very captivating film about the discovery of sexuality by three teenage girls. The magic of the movie lies in its capacity to bring back many memories to how it felt like to be their age. The confusion and the insecurities are portrayed in a very simple way but so true to life. The music is perfect and the acting is amazing. The camera works beautifully also. I highly recommend it for those who are not afraid to look back at this particular period of life when we discover our sexual impulses and our desires. I would also say that it is a fine film for young people going through that period. So many movies have been made about adolescence but this really captures the true essence of discovering the adult world of romance and its complexities.