Tomboy (2011)

A family moves into a new neighborhood, and a 10-year-old named Laure deliberately presents as a boy named Mikhael to the neighborhood children.

Director:

Céline Sciamma

Writer:

Céline Sciamma (screenplay)

Stars:

Zoé Héran, Malonn Lévana, Jeanne Disson

10 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Zoé Héran	...	Laure / Mickäel
Malonn Lévana	...	Jeanne
Jeanne Disson	...	Lisa
Sophie Cattani	...	La mère de Laure
Mathieu Demy	...	Le père de Laure
Rayan Boubekri	...	Rayan
Yohan Vero	...	Vince
Noah Vero	...	Noah
Cheyenne Lainé	...	Cheyenne
Christel Baras	...	La mère de Lisa
Valérie Roucher	...	La mère de Rayan

Storyline

A family moves into a new neighborhood, and a 10-year-old born Laure deliberately presents as a boy named Mickäel to the neighborhood children. It is heavily implied that Mickäel is a closeted transgender boy. This film follows his experiences with his newfound friends, his potential love interest, Lisa, his younger sister and his parents. It focuses in on the significance of gender identity in social interaction from an early age, the difficulties of being transgender and young, and how Mickäel navigates these in the background of childhood play and love.

---

Plot Keywords:

soccer | tomboy | makeup | looking at oneself in a mirror | false name | 

---

Taglines:

There's a new kid in town.

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The scene, so delicate, of the nakedness of Laure and the revelation resulting from it, has been conscientiously put in place by Céline Sciamma. This scene is fundamental and Zoé Héran, from the script, knew she would have to shoot naked. Her parents were present at the time of filming and this intense moment could only exist in the image if they gave their agreement in view of the filmed sequence.

---

Goofs

After the fight over the attack on Jeanne - which Laure wins, we see Laure attentively dressing the graze on Jeanne's knee, and adding a blue-coloured sticking plaster (Band-Aid). In the next scene, when (the un-named) mother finds out that Laure has been passing herself off as a boy, she demands that Laure wear a dress, when they both go to the neighbour to apologise. Laure is sitting on the bed with Jeanne, but all traces of Jeanne's knee injury, and even the sticking plaster, have disappeared.

---

Quotes

Lisa: [subtitled version] Are you looking for the others? I noticed you looking at them. They already left. Are you new around here?
Laure: Yeah, we got in yesterday.
Lisa: I'm Lisa. I live here.
[pause]
Lisa: You're shy.
Laure: No, I'm not.
Lisa: Won't you tell me your name?
Laure: Mickäel. My name is Mickäel.

---

Connections

Featured in Récit de soi (2018)

---

Soundtracks

Always
[reprise]
Written by Jean-Baptiste de Laubier and Jerôme Echenoz
Published by Because Editions/Copyright Control


& © 2011 Para one & Tacteel

User Reviews

Tomboy or a matter of perception

After seen this film I found some interesant comments of Céline Sciamma about her film.Céline Sciamma insists very much about the perception (le regard in French) that people may have about a person: Lisa thinks that Laure is a boy and all the "confusion" begins when Lisa asks Laure about her name and Laure answers "Mickael" !! From then the other children consider Laure as as boy. In this age some young girls like to play soccer,wear masculine clothes and people call them tomboys o garçon manqué in French: in most of these cases the experience is quite temporary.The performance of Zoé Héran as Laure/Mickael is remarkable.Also the other actors and actresses are very good.A very interesting story and therefore a very good film.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Twitter

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

20 April 2011 (France)

Also Known As:

Tomboy

Filming Locations:

Seine-et-Marne, France

Box Office

Budget:

EUR1,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,078, 20 November 2011

Gross USA:

$129,834

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,437,501

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hold Up Films, Arte France Cinéma, Lilies Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1