About the title, the French word "puce" has a double meaning: "sweetie" or "virgin girl". This short movie (40 min) was the "Diploma work" of Emmanuelle Bercot when she studied movie direction at the FEMIS, the French school of cinema (formerly EDHEC).
Marion, 14 yo, the age of the teenage years rebellions, is on holidays with her mother at the sea. She feels moved by the interest she arouses in an older man. She decides to meet him in Paris and to "take the plunge". So, another Lolita-like flick or some French "American Beauty"? Not at all, contrary to the former ones, Emmanuelle Bercot takes the point of view of the girl. She elaborates that subject with both delicacy and realism. Here they are neither nice flowers nor honeyed music, the cinematography is restrained, no bright colors, the image is almost black and white, the camera work very accurate. It's one of the first noticed performance of Isild Le Besco, 17 yo at that time, totally convincing in that very young girl character, her curiosity, her hesitancy. You'll notice that impressive and moving shot of Marion checking her body, looking for THE change in it. But IMHO, the last 20 seconds close-up ending the movie is a bit unconvincing, but I'm maybe nitpicking...
Marion, 14 yo, the age of the teenage years rebellions, is on holidays with her mother at the sea. She feels moved by the interest she arouses in an older man. She decides to meet him in Paris and to "take the plunge". So, another Lolita-like flick or some French "American Beauty"? Not at all, contrary to the former ones, Emmanuelle Bercot takes the point of view of the girl. She elaborates that subject with both delicacy and realism. Here they are neither nice flowers nor honeyed music, the cinematography is restrained, no bright colors, the image is almost black and white, the camera work very accurate. It's one of the first noticed performance of Isild Le Besco, 17 yo at that time, totally convincing in that very young girl character, her curiosity, her hesitancy. You'll notice that impressive and moving shot of Marion checking her body, looking for THE change in it. But IMHO, the last 20 seconds close-up ending the movie is a bit unconvincing, but I'm maybe nitpicking...