9th(2007)
The First Time I Was Twenty
Lorraine Lévy
- France
- 2004
- 97min
- 35mm
- color/black and white
- 성장, 드라마
SYNOPSIS
Sixteen-year-old Hannah, the youngest daughter in a Jewish family, is admittedly a bit taciturn and scatter-brained. She is also a bit overweight. Even though she receives lots of love and affection from her parents and her two pretty sisters, she feels a bit estranged from them, at least in terms of her appearance. She also desires to create her own world. One day, she receives the chance-of-a-lifetime to do just that – by none other than joining a jazz band as a bassist. Hannah manages to beat out the competition to enter this jazz world traditionally reserved for men; however, the other members of the band, who are not used to women invading this traditional men’s enclave, plot to get rid of her.
As indicated by its title, creates a dialogue about issues affecting teen girls as they come to grips with being a woman in a patriarchal society. The issues include concerns about physical appearance, first love, pursuit of a self-identity, rebelling against the traditional values of church and family, as well as questioning and challenging society. Rather than approaching these issues in an overly-serious manner, however, director Lorraine Levy takes a light-hearted approach that brings to the subject matter a sense of playfulness and nostalgic sentimentality. For instance, there is one memorable scene that leaves the viewers with an empowered sense of freedom. In an effort to try to get Hannah to leave the band, the male band members adopt a typical homo-social tactic of taking off their clothes and flashing themselves. However, Hannah reverses the power relations when, instead of fleeing, she takes out a camera and starts taking pictures of the naked men. (KWON Eun-sun)
As indicated by its title,
PROGRAM NOTE
Sixteen-year-old Hannah, the youngest daughter in a Jewish family, is admittedly a bit taciturn and scatter-brained. She is also a bit overweight. Even though she receives lots of love and affection from her parents and her two pretty sisters, she feels a bit estranged from them, at least in terms of her appearance. She also desires to create her own world. One day, she receives the chance-of-a-lifetime to do just that – by none other than joining a jazz band as a bassist. Hannah manages to beat out the competition to enter this jazz world traditionally reserved for men; however, the other members of the band, who are not used to women invading this traditional men’s enclave, plot to get rid of her.
As indicated by its title, creates a dialogue about issues affecting teen girls as they come to grips with being a woman in a patriarchal society. The issues include concerns about physical appearance, first love, pursuit of a self-identity, rebelling against the traditional values of church and family, as well as questioning and challenging society. Rather than approaching these issues in an overly-serious manner, however, director Lorraine Levy takes a light-hearted approach that brings to the subject matter a sense of playfulness and nostalgic sentimentality. For instance, there is one memorable scene that leaves the viewers with an empowered sense of freedom. In an effort to try to get Hannah to leave the band, the male band members adopt a typical homo-social tactic of taking off their clothes and flashing themselves. However, Hannah reverses the power relations when, instead of fleeing, she takes out a camera and starts taking pictures of the naked men. (KWON Eun-sun)
As indicated by its title,
Director
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Lorraine LévyLorraine Lévy
Lorraine Lévy is a dramatist, stage designer, screenwriter and film director. She initially began studying literature, but then switched to law at Sceaux university and gained experience in the legal environment. She then worked as a publisher’s editor and collaborated on various projects writing scripts and dialogues. In 1987, she established a theatre company for which she wrote the successful play Finie la comédie which enjoyed many repeat performances. From 1999, she headed a writing course for three years at the European Conservatoire for Audiovisual Works and also created eight episodes and scripts for TV. The First Time I Was Twenty is her feature debut as a writer-director.
Credit
- ProducerBruno Pesery, Hélène Delale
- Cast Marilou Berry, Catherine Jacob, Serge Riaboukine
- Screenwriter Lorraine Lévy
- Cinematography Emmanuel Soyer
- Editor Sophie Reine
- Music Sébastien Souchois
- Sound Jean. Paul Bernard
