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Faustine et le bel été
1972 Drama / Romance
Review
Faustine et le bel été is the first
film to be directed by Nina Companéez. It is a hauntingly poetic work which
offers a poignant and compelling portrayal of sexual awakening, in what is very nearly
the cinematic equivalent of a Jane Austen novel. Ironically, the very things which
work against it and prevent it from being a truly great film are the very things which
make it so charming and memorable. The simplicity of the narrative style.
The seductively understated performances. And, above all, the pretty location,
filmed so beautifully, and so evocative of evanescent teenage love.
Although somewhat thin when it comes to plot and characterisation, the film manages to
capture the pain, beauty and irrationality of adolescent love by using the power of the
cinematic image to its full. The voyeuristic, chocolate box visual style, usually
reserved for tacky soft core porn films, waves over the spectator like a hypnotic spell,
sumptuously sensual and sometimes intensely erotic. The pleasure is heightened by
seeing a number of talented young actors and actresses at the very start of their film
careers – notably Isabelle Adjani and Francis Huster, but also – fleetingly
– Nathalie Baye and Isabelle Huppert.
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Director:
Nina Companéez
Starring: Muriel Catalá, Claire Vernet, Jacques Spiesser, Francis Huster, Georges Marchal Synopsis
Faustine is 16 years old and has yet to experience her first romantic adventure.
Whilst staying at her grandparents’ country farm one summer she becomes fascinated
by the inhabitants of a neighbouring country house. These include two middle-aged
brothers – Julien, who is divorced, and Jean who has recently re-married with a
younger woman, Claire. Jean has two teenage sons, Florent and Joachim, whilst Julien
has two young daughters, Ariane and Camille. Claire appears ready to seduce her
handsome stepsons, but Florent is more interested in Faustine. Although initially
excited by Florent’s advances, Faustine soon realises that he is not the man for
her. Instead, she falls for the charms of the much older Julien and imagines that
he reciprocates her feelings…
Credits
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