BOYS WILL BE BOYS

MARMAILLE

2024 / 94 min / color

15-year-old Thomas (a superb performance from Maxime Calicharane) lives on the French island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean; he dreams of winning a breakdancing competition and moving to a big city. His mother, who struggles with her own demons, suddenly throws him and his sister (a young mom herself) out of the house. Thomas is devastated as he’s sent to live with his long-estranged father and a family he barely knows. He struggles to make peace with his sense of injustice and feelings of rejection. It’s no wonder that he falls into increasingly frequent fits of aggression. As they face the painful, poignant process of rebuilding their lives, the brother and sister only have each other to rely on. Director Gregory Lucilly borrows skilfully from the conventions of coming-of-age films. His rebellious teenage protagonist has to navigate the kind of fraught situations that would be overwhelming even for most adults. Meanwhile Thomas’ budding sense of self is further complicated by his class and ethnicity.

Pre-screening talk with SEXEDPL experts (April 30, 8:15 PM – in Polish).