Talking Tribeca: Being 14

I’ve had the pleasure this year of screening a number of selections from this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, which takes place April 15th-26th.

Being 14
Directed by Hélène Zimmer
Festival Screenings

This film is best des cribbed as a French version of “Mean Girls.” It’s not a comedy, except for the way in which it portrays such absurd cruelty and insecurities on the part of its main characters. Sarah is a particularly volatile creature, citing physical discrimination when she gets blamed for one of the few ruckuses for which she is not responsible in class and matching the disdainful smirk on her face with a ferocious and unforgiving attitude. The film manages to show what it is like to be fourteen but goes far beyond any simple portrayal of school life, adding the dimension of divorced parents and difficult home situations. The feature film debut of 25-year-old director Hélène Zimmer is an incredibly engaging and unique look at growing up that is very much unlike anything about the subject being produced domestically.

See it or skip it? See it if you’re up for a vicious but worthwhile French film.