From the Vault: Water Lilies

I have always enjoyed foreign films because they often broach topics that American movies do not dare touch! It is for this reason that I chose the French film Water Lilies which is about the sexual awakening of three adolescent girls. The main character, Marie, is a young girl filled with sexual angst who knows that there is something different about her but is not ready to discover that aspect of herself. Marie's best friend, Anne, is going through her own anxiety when she falls for a popular boy that she believes she will never be able to be with because she is not accepted by the popular crowd. Anne's frustrations are only exacerbated when she discovers that Marie has worked her way into the popular crowd by befriending the captain of the girls' swim team, Floraine. However, Marie soon realizes that she wants more than just friendship from Floraine.

There is a lot of ground covered in this movie that doesn't even run a full hour and a half. While each girl views her sexuality differently, each is in conflict with herself. Though none of the characters are likable, the viewer can still relate to those anxious years on the brink of one's sexual awakening. In addition, each girl embodies a different stereotype that we have of adolescent girls experimenting with their sexuality. There is the gay girl who has yet to come out to herself, the nerdy girl who yearns for the jock, and the popular girl who wants more than the one night stands that she has grown accustomed to. Though the film reinforces these stereotypes, it does not come off as cliched or jaded. Overall, it was exactly what I wanted from a foreign film: insight and interesting issues that America believes are too controversial for their silver screen.

-DLP