Belle Épine (Dear Prudence) (2010)

Lately, this kind of hard-edged realist drama has been on the decline, as an increasing number of young filmmakers divert their talents towards more marketable genres – comedies, thrillers and visceral horror films.  Belle épine is a film that bucks this worrying trend and reassures us that the film d’auteur is still very much alive in France.

After the death of her mother, 17-year-old Prudence finds herself living alone in her Paris apartment. Then she meets Maryline, a rebel of her own age, who introduces her to the thrills of motorcycle racing on the biker circuit at Rungis. Prudence’s newfound lease of freedom becomes complicated when she falls for a boy Franck who wastes no time in taking advantage of her naivety…

Cast: Anais Demoustier, Agathe Schlenker, Anna Sigalevitch, Lea Seydoux