Marine Atlan's debut feature, La Gradiva, has premiered at Cannes to acclaim. The film, co-written with Anne Brouillet, centres on a group of French high-school students and their long-suffering teacher on a school trip to Pompeii and Naples. It has been praised for its sensitive and honest portrayal of adolescent emotional turmoil, with superb performances from a cast of newcomers.
The story follows the class as they navigate the stresses and excitements of the trip. Their teacher, Mercier, played by Antonia Buresi, is on the verge of breakdown, worn down by the thankless task of managing the unruly students. One pupil in particular, Toni (Colas Quignard), repeatedly winds her up, yet it is Toni who becomes the focus of a complex web of sexual tension among the group. The opening tableau on the train, where he secretly observes his friend James and Angela after their encounter, sets the tone.
Suzanne (Suzanne Gerin), a clever and disaffected classmate, is fascinated by Toni and James, feeling herself the least attractive of the group. Her unhappiness culminates in a vivid dream sequence in which she imagines herself as the Gradiva of Wilhelm Jensen's 1902 novella, a figure much admired by Sigmund Freud. The film weaves this literary reference into its exploration of adolescent longing and self-image.
Toni is convinced of his own noble lineage, believing his grandmother had a tragic love affair in Pompeii that led to her departure to France. The trip becomes a personal quest for him, as he seeks to uncover the truth about his family history. The film uses the backdrop of Pompeii and the Vesuvius eruption as a powerful metaphor for the explosive emotions of youth.
Atlan, a former cinematographer, directs with a striking visual sensibility, and the teaching scenes, in which Mercier tries to impart an appreciation of the frescoes' eroticism and social commentary, are particularly effective. The film is a reminder of the lasting significance of teenage experiences, refusing to dismiss them as trivial or melodramatic.
