Lili, a pouty and voluptuous 14-year-old, is caravan camping with her family in Biarritz. She's self-aware [...] but she has a wild streak and she's testing her powers over men [...] and she's impatient with being a virgin. She sets off with her brother to a disco, latching onto [Maurice] an aging playboy who is himself hot and cold to her. She is ambivalent about losing her virginity that night, willing the next, and determined by the third.
Thus, 14-year-old Lili is described as voluptuous. To the dismay of feminists, Lili is described as powerful (over men). And Lili is ambivalent about being "devirginized".
Interestingly, Lili was played by 14-year-old Delphine Zentout and her multiple nude teen scenes are further examples of European filmmaker's non-reluctance to show nude nymphets in sexual situations (e.g., Topless 14-year-old Lili (Zentout) gave Maurice, played by 38-year-old Étienne Chicot, a hand-job and fellatio.).
And when you put the blurb on the film's poster from the Los Angeles Times, "Few films are more breathtakingly honest about sexuality. '36 Fillettes' rings so true...fresh and incisive," into the context of the film's description, "She is ambivalent about losing her virginity [...]", Lili's portrayal in the film should remove any naiveté about the sexuality of nymphets.
In terms of seduction, ephebophiles should note that Maurice didn't pursue Lili. On the contrary, on multiple occasions, Maurice gave Lili the option to end the age-gap affair, which, counter-intuitively, caused the Lili to chase after Maurice.
Thought-provokingly, 36 Fillette was directed by Catherine Breillat and is based on her novel. Breillat also directed the age-gap relationship fairy tale Bluebeard (2009) [French: La Barbe bleue].
Lastly, despite the underage nudity and sex scenes, 36 Fillette was shown at the 1988 New York Film Festival. Maybe the folks at the New York Film Festival agreed with the Los Angeles Times' assessment that: "Few films are more breathtakingly honest about [teen] sexuality."
Thank you for this title! Very good movie and your post ofc ;)
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome...
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