La Gradiva: Marine Atlan's debut film explores adolescent desire

Marine Atlan’s directorial debut, ‘La Gradiva’, offers a choral portrait of adolescence through the lens of a high school class trip to Naples and Pompeii. The film, which won the Grand Prix at La Semaine de la Critique, utilizes a documentary-like style informed by two years of interviews and observations to capture the authentic energy of youth.

The narrative follows a group of students from Montrouge, avoiding archetypes to present a fluid exchange of power, desire, and identity. Central to the story are James, a cynical model student, and Toni, a struggling student with personal ties to the Campania region. The film also features a Latin teacher, played by Antonia Buresi, who attempts to maintain structure amidst the students' emotional volatility.

Through characters like the observant art student Suzanne, the film transforms the group into an ancient-style chorus, blending contemporary realism with classical echoes.