Director: Suzanne Lindon
Writers: Suzanne Lindon
Stars: Suzanne Lindon, Arnaud Valois, Florence Viala, Frédéric Pierrot, Rebecca Marder
Synopsis: 16-year-old Suzanne is bored with people of her age. One day, she meets an older man on her way to high school. Despite their age difference, they fall in love.
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20-year-old Suzanne Lindon has gone and impressed us all. The young filmmaker’s Spring Blossom was one of the films selected as part of the 2020 edition of the Festival de Cannes, and even though it was not screened in the south of France, the film now carries a seal of approval that is unbeatable and impressive for the directorial debut of an emerging talent.
Spring Blossom – also written and led by Lindon – seems to easily reflect a not-so far away reality of Lindon’s: the fleeting experience of first love, or rather the juvenile crush we feel as we awaken to the sexual and emotional attraction towards someone else. Suzanne (Lindon) is a 16-year-old that has a placid life in Paris. She is constantly surrounded by friends and a seemingly happy family. Nevertheless, it is evident that something is missing in her innocent life. Lindon makes a fantastic job presenting this alienation.
While her classmates and girlfriends talk about silly things, Suzanne is in a reverie. She is disconnected, even bored of her peers. There seems to be an invisible wall that prevents Suzanne from being interested on the petty existence of her classmates, a problem that prevents her from making small talk or engaging in the events that submerge her friends in the chaotic experience of a teen (her futile attempts to have fun at a party are excruciatingly recognizable). Even when she is surrounded by people, the camera makes it clear that she is always alone, not even connecting with her loving parents or energetic sister.
Unsurprisingly, one day Suzanne develops a fascination for an actor that is presenting a play in the local theatre, just a couple of streets away from her home. What starts is an awkward and juvenile obsession that seems to work in her favor when Raphael (Arnaud Valois) – the object of her awakening interest – appears to be interested in her too. Thus, the teenager and the 35-year-old actor slowly develop a sexually tense but chaste relationship.
Even though the film thankfully avoids the grey area of presenting a sexually charged story between teen and man with such an age gap, the interactions amongst them and the feelings that they develop for each other feel conflicting and uncomfortable. They are tender and careful, but it is unfathomable to think that this guy would be interested in a girl that only giggles and stares at him. More importantly, some instances of grooming start to appear. Lindon dangerously flirts between an innocent and a troublesome bond. This is probably the main issue with the story. While it successfully presents the shallowness and intensity of Suzanne’s emotions, Raphael remains a mystery.
What kind of connection could he have with this girl? We soon learn that Raphael is exasperated of acting in the same play night after night. He is tired of acting; she is tired of her friends and her surroundings. It seems that the only thing that joins them is boredom, and unfortunately, the story does not shed light in this profound connection between teen and artist.
Instead, Lindon tries to convey the growing emotional link through choreographed and unexpected dance routines between them, but these scenes feel shallow, substituting real emotions. Furthermore, they seem more of a shortcut than an exploration or consummation of the relationship.
The movie looks discreet and small in its scope, although the messages that it tries to convey are complicated. Somewhere in the second part of its brief 73 minutes, it starts to falter. The dialogues become minimum, the editing confusing and Suzanne’s emotional turmoil inexplicably more intense. We understand that she is going through something. Could it be extreme love, a new wave of boredom, or a desperate realization of the fate of this relationship? We do not really know.
While these contrasting feelings reflect the overwhelming experience of discovering attraction and love at such an early age, the narration becomes clumsy and incomplete. It is impossible not to distinguish the novice effort of the filmmaker behind the camera. The movie reflects Lindo’s naiveté and youth.
Spring Blossom is an intriguing debut that shows curiosity and an understanding of youthful minds. The film starts strongly, with a beginning that is as exciting as it is promising, and while the film is far from perfect, it reminds us of the clumsiness, intensity, and ephemeral nature of young infatuation.
