Tomboy

NOW ONLY AVAILABLE ON NETFLIX DVD. Every young girl has dreams of what she'll one day become. Laure (Zoé Héran) in particular, has dreams of being Mikael; in other words, a spitting, soccer playing, rough and tumble boy. Tomboy is a heroic tale about a 10 year old girl who longs to be someone else. 

Confusing adolescence is writer and director Céline Sciamma's specialty. In 17 Girls, she tackled pregnancy pacts, in Water Lilies there were promiscuous teens abound, and in her latest film, Girlhood, she addresses the young female gang scene.

Sciamma captures not necessarily an overwhelming sense of LGBT social politics in this film, but instead, subtly offers a charming protagonist with a relatable life, and family that harbors a heavy secret. With an innocent and subtle "fly on the wall" style, Sciamma elegantly depicts the anxious and natural elements of young children and transgender.

Zoé Héran debuts as a young actress who soulfully and completely embodies the role of Laure. She shines brightly, but is also supported by Jeanne Disson who plays her first important friend in her new neighborhood. Malonn Lévanna, who plays her little sister Jeanne, also gives a perfect performance, and the sisterly relationship is probably the most touching of all of the film's dynamics.  

Beautifully executed, this short and sweet film makes for a peacefully empowering weekend.

Nicole Eicholtz

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