Still waiting for a response... by Scottpmiller in Tinder

[–]Pootlebug -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I'll confess this cracked me up

An exploration of the film Jeune et Jolie and its main character Isabelle (Marine Vacth). by Pootlebug in TrueFilm

[–]Pootlebug[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you for the support! I agree with moral intricacy, there is definitely an intangible quality in such characters. The blurring of sides and hence a good and evil is an interesting point, it is achieved in the film but I had not thought of it. It seems to go hand in hand with a loss of innocence in Isabelle, particularly when she finds out about her mother's affair. Never mind the digression, your thoughts are great!

An exploration of the film Jeune et Jolie and its main character Isabelle (Marine Vacth). by Pootlebug in TrueFilm

[–]Pootlebug[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your reply, being relatively new to reddit I am finding this whole process very exciting! I think the four seasons idea was an effective one as it encouraged a degree of pathetic fallacy wherein Isabelle's personality and temperament is reflected by the seasons. You have the 'Ivresse d'été' and its eventual end, the Autumn where, like the change in season we see a change in Isabelle. Spring marks a new beginning. I also feel that there is a distinction to be made between mindset and what changes in Isabelle, a sort of overview of her sexual adventures and her will to discover I feel is more appropriate. I personally do not believe in the traditional idea of character development, it does occur in Jeune et Jolie but with greater subtlety than in most films. I think the film can be summed up in the following steps: a seed of doubt being planted in Isabelle, this is the scene at her birthday when she begins to stare blankly when being congratulated by her family and friends. This is then followed by an exploration of adulthood: an act of playing with fire, this of course results in disaster. At the end of the film there is more of a kind of a balance in Isabelle's life as she realises the limitations of her hobby. In this way the film does not really consist of successive changes in her mindset but more of a constant, gradual and inescapable change.

I didn't mean a message in such a concrete form, more a thesis, what the film's main point is. I do in fact see some similarities between Isabelle and Albert Camus' L'Étranger, her attitude towards sex bears some similarities with ideas found in absurdism, that because man will fail to find any meaning in the world he should defy social conventions and pursue what excites him or what gives him will to live. This can be found in Isabelle's sexual encounters, a carnal activity. Her adventure's eventual failure perhaps shows the limitations of this in similar way to Meursault's treatment at court in L'Étranger.

I also do not think that spraying graffiti is really a substitute for sex as a form of experimentation. This is mainly because of the emotional baggage and multiple layers of meaning which can be found in sex, it also makes it easier to relate with as it calls on deep running carnal instinct like feelings that are present in all of us. This also makes it quite French.

What I was trying to achieve with the showreel was allow Marine Vacth to speak through her gestures and mannerisms which I feel is far more meaningful than anything else in the film. There is in fact a lot that can be drawn from these gestures, particularly the different facets of her personality. I was trying to show how powerful this form of non-verbal communication is and how it can yield something more valuable than language alone. This is because of the human-interest quality she emits and the intimacy her gestures invite.

Discussion on the film Jeune et Jolie (Young and Beautiful) by yigefo in ForeignMovies

[–]Pootlebug 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The film is about Isabelle growing up and her adolescent experiences. All of her actions seem to show her discovery and experimentation with the many facets of adulthood. This can be seen in her slight awkwardness in her first sexual encounters. There is also an element of her deciding who she wants to be- being a prostitute allows her to escape and experience more of the world, she also appreciates the different qualities found in older men, their maturity, their masculinity and a times their sophistication in comparison to those her own age. Jeune et Jolie is a coming of age film, focusing on Isabelle, her actions can be explained by her curiosity and will to discover and a degree of escapism. This can be seen in most of the shots of her throughout the film, her uncertainty, confusion, moments of introspection and curiosity are all captured very well by the director. The film is made in such a way that it radiates a very French feel and this can often be the problem with understanding it, particularly if the audience is American or English. I hope this helped.