Water Lilies
By Kit Macdonald
Celine Sciamma, the brilliant French filmmaker responsible for such delights as Portrait of a Lady on Fire and Girlhood, was just 27 when she made Water Lilies, which was universally well-received and immediately established her as a talent to watch. The film follows three teenage girls – the glamorous but vulnerable synchronised swimming team captain Floriane (Adele Haenel), her moody admirer Marie (Pauline Acquart), and Marie's best friend Anne (Louise Blachère). The sexual quadrangle is completed by the hunky François (Warren Jacquin), for whom Anne has a forlorn thing, and who Floriane is secretly going out with.
A delicate and nuanced exploration of adolescence, desire, identity and burgeoning sexuality, Water Lilies has endured as a top-quality coming-of-age film. It is far more often to be found on streaming services such as Mubi than at the cinema, so these two chances to catch it on the big screen are not to be passed up.