fbpx
Monday, May 29th, 2017

Seventeen aka Siebzehn

This intriguing coming of age movie is set in Lanzenkirchen in Lower Austria, the home town of the writer/director Monja Art, so it is probably safe to say that some of the trials and tribulations of the teenagers involved in this story are drawn from her own life experiences.

The problems that seem to vex this one particular group of seventeen year olds in the last few weeks of their school year is that they are all experiencing the first flushes of love with the wrong person. Paula (Elisabeth Wabitsch) the main protagonist who is an above-average intelligent student and one of the brightest stars of her class is in love with Charlotte (Anaelle Dézsy).  Even though Charlotte looks at Paula with dreamy eyes across the classroom, she has however been dating Michael (Leo Plankensteiner) for the past year.

Paula’s fluid sexuality is discussed openly by the other girls, but not by the boys, two of whom are in pursuit of her although she refuses to encourage either. There is football jock Ronald Bogdan Hrnjak who she will not even give the time of day too, and his roommate geeky Tim (Alexander Wychodil) who does make it past first base but only as Paula feels sorry for him.

Meanwhile Lilli (Alexandra Shmidt) who is the most generous one in the class with her sexual favors allows a frustrated Ronald to have his way with her, with the irony being that both of them have the hots for Paula.

The refreshing part of this tale of all these teenagers voyages of discovery is that their differing sexualities are not the core issue here, and in fact are almost an after effect to the story. What Art captures so succinctly in this charming wee drama of hers, is how tough life can be when you are seventeen, and also how wonderful it can be too at the same time.

 


Posted by queerguru  at  10:12


Genres:  coming of age, coming out, international

Follow queerguru

Search This Blog


View queertiques By: