Naissance des pieuvres (2007) translates "The Birth of the Octopuses," but
the English packaging represents it as "Water Lilies," which has nothing to do
with the plot.
Pauline Acquart stars as Marie, a tomboyish 16 year old. Her best friend Anne
(Louise Blachere), a rather plump girl, is involved in synchronized swimming,
and is longing for her first kiss. Marie, out of summer boredom, goes to
swimming class with her, and falls instantly in lust with the sex kitten
Floriane (Adele Haenel), who has the body of a woman, a Lolita pout, and claims
to have slept with "tons of men." At first Floriane allows Marie to hang with
her to use her as an excuse to slip out and visit her boyfriends, but their
relationship deepens, especially when Marie discovers that all of Floriane's
sexual experience is just talk.
While this film is all about raging adolescent hormones, it sports a rather
languid pace. Other than that, I found it enjoyable even with subtitles.
Freshman director Celine Sciamma, who also wrote the script, remembers her own
puberty, and captures the period perfectly, and the film gained minor festival
attention and positive critical response.
Louise Blachere, the plump girl, who does full
frontal and rear nudity, has the only actual exposure.
