
SPRING BLOSSOM
Young filmmaker Suzanne Lindon emerges as a major cinematic talent with her debut film, in which she stars as a precocious teenager encountering first love with a much older man.
Though 16-year-old Suzanne (writer-director Lindon) lives a comfortable, idyllic life with supportive family and friends, the young Parisian is plagued by a sense of ennui. The things that excite her peers (beer, parties, petty gossip) hold no spark for Suzanne, who prefers to imagine a more thrilling, adult future. Every day Suzanne passes a theater, where a handsome, 30-something actor Raphaël (Arnaud Valois, PFF26’s BPM) catches her eye. Raphaël, too, is at a personal impasse, and views his young admirer as a potential escape from his depressing routine. Before long, the two begin a cautious courtship, and Suzanne must decide whether she’s truly ready to leave her youth behind her. Though SPRING BLOSSOM marks the feature directorial debut of 20-year-old filmmaker Suzanne Lindon, the film bears a startling amount of visual confidence and emotional acuity. Nodding to — yet cleverly subverting — the cinematic lineage of May-December romances, Lindon has delivered a heroine who feels both wide-eyed and refreshingly in control of her own narrative.
CAST: Suzanne Lindon, Arnaud Valois, Florence Viala, Frédéric Pierrot
In Competition: Narrative Feature Award, First Feature Award
All sales are final. You must be located within the United States to stream this film. We suggest prioritizing your lineup and watching films as close to the premiere time as possible. This title will be available until November 2nd or until streaming capacity is reached.
CLICK HERE to return to the complete 29th Philadelphia Film Festival program.