Belle Epine

'Belle Epine' 2010

 Belle Epine is a French drama the lead actress being the fabulous starlet Lea Seydoux of 'Blue is the Warmest Colour' and La Belle Person'. The films title refers to a french shopping mall which is where the two leading girls meet while being hold accused for shoplifting. It is set during the 70's 80's and reflects upon a girls diary a.k.a Prudence. Prudence is alone in France as her sister is off gallivanting and her father abroad working in Canada. The film surrounds her struggling to cope mourning her mothers death and how she uses drugs, partying and newly found love at an attempt to remove her mothers death from her memory.

She follows and observes the other girl held in the malls security room whilst also accused of shop-lifting and watches her join a group of boys on scooters and motorbikes who attend the racing circuit frequently in Rungis. Prudence offers the girl a place to sleep and to hang out and in return she wants her to introduce her into the world of motor racing. They do so and Prudence attempting to fill the missing pot hole that her mother left when she died. She's missing that love and hungry for someone to fulfil that in one way or another.

She meets a boy Franck who is a star of the racing track with his glimmering motorcycle and penetrating eyes she craves him and she approaches him when he attends her house party. She latches onto him and consumes him basically and toils with his emotions when she is unsure what she is doing being so young and vulnerable but he thinks she's playing games unaware of her mourning the loss of her mother.

I read a lot about this film online and how it came about and watched it. This was my first time watching it and I really enjoyed it Seydoux giving a fantastically awkward teenager persona and portraying Prudence with such eagerness for adolescent love she gave a great performance and was glad to find this movie and the sweet sad tale it told.