A Real Young Girl

Watch A Real Young Girl

"A surreal voyage into adolescent sexuality."
  • NR
  • 1975
  • 1 hr 33 min
  • 5.3  (4,159)
  • 55

A Real Young Girl, directed by Catherine Breillat in 1976, is a strikingly evocative film that explores sexuality, desire, and adolescence with unflinching honesty. The film charts the journey of fourteen-year-old Alice (played by Charlotte Alexandra) as she navigates the treacherous waters of young adulthood. Set in the French countryside of the 1960s, the film captures both the beauty and the strangeness of this environment. Alice is a solitary figure, a young girl who is trying to make sense of her rapidly changing body and the powerful emotions that go with it. She is bored by her parents, who seem to have little understanding of her inner world, and she spends much of her time exploring the woods, seeking out hidden places where she can be alone with her thoughts.

It is during these explorations that Alice begins to encounter her own desire. She becomes fascinated by the idea of sex, and the film portrays this fascination in both disturbing and beautiful ways. There are moments of beauty and intimacy, as when Alice gazes lovingly at her own body, admiring the curves and contours that are emerging. There are moments of pain and confusion, as when Alice becomes angry and frustrated with her own urges, unable to control them or understand them.

As the film progresses, Alice becomes increasingly rebellious. She resents her parents and their attempts to restrict her movements, and she starts to explore her sexuality more openly. She is drawn to an older man, Monsieur Pierre (played by Hiram Keller), who works on the family farm. Pierre is both charismatic and unpredictable, and Alice is both frightened and excited by him. Their relationship develops gradually, with Pierre pushing Alice gradually further and further out of her comfort zone.

As Alice becomes more sexually adventurous, the film explores the darker side of sexual awakening. There are graphic scenes of masturbation, as Alice uses various objects to stimulate herself. There are also moments of violence and degradation, as Pierre takes advantage of Alice's vulnerability. Breillat does not shy away from these darker themes, and the result is a film that is both haunting and unsettling.

Despite its challenging subject matter, A Real Young Girl is made with great artistry and care. The cinematography is breathtaking, with long, languorous shots of the French countryside and close-ups of Alice's face that capture her inner turmoil. The film also features a haunting score that adds to the dreamlike quality of the visuals.

In the years since it was made, A Real Young Girl has been both praised and condemned for its frank treatment of sexuality. Some have hailed it as a masterpiece of feminist filmmaking, while others have accused it of glorifying pedophilia. What is undeniable is that the film is a powerful portrayal of the confusion and complexity of adolescence. It is a film that is not afraid to explore the darker side of desire, but that also finds moments of beauty and tenderness amidst the turmoil.

In the end, A Real Young Girl is a film that demands to be seen. It is a challenging and provocative work that explores the depths of human emotion with rare sensitivity and honesty. It is a film that will stay with you long after the credits have rolled, a testament to the power of cinema to move and provoke us.

A Real Young Girl
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Description
  • Release Date
    1975
  • MPAA Rating
    NR
  • Runtime
    1 hr 33 min
  • Language
    English
  • IMDB Rating
    5.3  (4,159)
  • Metascore
    55
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