"Leurs enfants après eux' and 'Trois amies', French cinema thrills Venice

It is a coming of age in all respects, this feature film in which the various years narrated turn into decisive steps towards maturity, both for the character of Anthony, his beloved Steph and the 'enemy' Hacine.

Although it is a film about youth, there is also considerable attention in the writing of the adult characters - Anthony's father, first and foremost - capable of being credible and necessary to develop a discourse that also reasons politically about France at the time. Some reflections in this sense, however, would have needed more depth, given the general premises that this operation carries with it.

The cast has familiar faces - from Ludivine Segnier to Gilles Lelouche - but the one who stands out is Paul Kircher as Anthony: the young actor confirms himself as one of the most interesting faces of the new French cinema after having already demonstrated his talent in 'Animal Kingdom', a film released last June in Italian cinemas.

Trois amies

Also well-written and well-acted is 'Trois amies' by Emmanuel Mouret, already the director of the well-received 'A passing affair' two years ago.

At the centre of the film are of course the three friends referred to in the title: Joan is no longer in love with Victor, but it pains her to think she is being dishonest with him. Alice, however, reassures her: she herself feels no passion for her partner Eric, yet their affair is going well. Little does she know that he is having an affair with their mutual friend Rebecca. When Joan finally decides to leave Victor and he disappears, the lives of the three women and their relationships are turned upside down.

A story of love, betrayal, traumatic loss and moments of great levity, 'Trois amies' is a film that mixes drama and comedy, with several cues that seem to look to the cinema of Woody Allen.

It only takes a few lines to understand how this is a feature film that plays with its dramaturgical structure, through a narrative voice that accompanies the action and that we soon discover belongs to a person who has come to a bad end.

There is nothing particularly original about this feature film, which, however, manages to impress with its dialogue writing first and foremost and how it is able to deal with profound issues with remarkable intelligence.

A few less successful moments than others do not limit the good overall level of a film that also manages to excite. In the cast, among others, are Camille Cottin, Vincent Macaigne, Sara Forestier and Damien Bonnard.