Genesis - A Confident and Mature Coming of Age Film
Film No.6 From Leeds International Film Festival
Sometimes it is really nice and refreshing to go into a film completely blind and be blown away, too many films are drenched in anticipation or prediction that choosing to watch Phillip Lessage's film 'Genesis' on a whim really paid off. Lessage's coming of age masterpiece explores two stepsiblings and their individual experiences with first love in adolescence in a brutally human and realistic portrayal of the difficulties and complications of love. I had this film racing around my head for days after I saw it, Lessage really fills it full of thematic complexities and fascinating ideas about individuality and relationships that it is infectiously thought-provoking.
I can't say I have much experience with French Canadian cinema or any idea what Lessage's work is at all but no film has compelled me to go visit more of this area of cinema than 'Genesis'. It is a fantastically constructed film, taking this very specific feeling of being this age and stretching it to the film's duration. The tone is pitch-perfect, equal parts melancholic as it is brimming with love and optimism in every single way, I specifically remember tearing up at very small specific moments for no reason than just being intoxicated by the tone of 'Genesis'. The highlight, by far, has to be Theodore Pellerin as Guillaume, an energetic charming teen that is struggling with finding his place in the romantic world of boarding school. His introduction scene sees him cheering and singing a song to the amusement of his peers which is such a succinct and beautiful way to introduce this version of Guillaume only for the rest of the film to mediate this personality and deconstruct him to his entirety. Pellerin is incredible in this role, his performance is so controlled and so skilled that Guillaume remains one of my favourite protagonist's of the year. He not only balances being indearing and honest, but he is fundamentally flawed and arrogant at times, the film even comments on his personality creating a really interesting thematic discussion unlike other coming of age films.
The most frustrating part of this film is that Guillaume's storyline is so captivating and beautiful that the other side of the narrative doesn't have the same impact. Guillaume's step-sister, Charlotte is a 20-something girl trying to find her place in the sexual freedom of her generation which comes with heartbreak and mistreatment. It is a narrative where she is much less sympathetic, to begin with, Lessage does a good job at creating a situational storyline revolving around the environmental factors of Charlotte's life influencing her decisions and thought process. It isn't nearly as complex and although Noee Abita delivers a strong performance, her character doesn't land as well as Pellerin who steals the film. I wish these characters interacted more, these stories feel very separate and other than a few fleeting moments, some being my favourite's in the film, I feel like Lessage could have opened a lot of thematic angles by seeing these two together. However, I do really enjoy the discussion around female agency, vulnerability and first love that Charlotte's arc explores with such endearing honesty. The two stories side by side open a lot of interesting discussions that are unlike anything I have seen in a coming of age film, the amount of time spent on these two characters is beyond endearing and captivating.
There is something about French filmmaking that can make you nostalgic about something that you have never experienced. The way scenes are filmed in 'Genesis' is beyond relatable, it is mesmerisingly personal, Lessage treats environments and scenes in this free and involving passion that gives them much more impact. I vividly kept locations, colour palettes and costumes in my memory in such intricate detail because of the close attention to detail and craft that is put into every scene. I'm a bit divided on the use of the soundtrack and score, there are basically 3 or 4 tracks that are used repeatedly throughout creating these strong motifs and occasionally the bond between the two storylines. However, I did find the score to be distracting as Lessgae chooses such powerful and distinct melodies so you really notice after the fourth repeat and it lessens the impact of the track which is a shame because one scene uses music beautifully but it would have been so much more captivating if we hadn't heard the song many times previously.
There is a very pivotal decision towards the third act of 'Genesis' and I would recommend skipping this segment to avoid spoilers because I can't not mention it. After the beautiful climax to these two stories and the drawing together of the siblings finding comfort in each other, Lessage cuts to a shot of a campfire and the repeat of Guillaume's song from the opening. We then focus on the completely different story of a young boy and girl in a camp slowly falling in love and having to say goodbye. After the film, I did some research and found out this is a reference/continuation of Lessage's previous films however whilst initially watching the film I was perplexed by the introduction of this story. It has been a while since there was such a naturalistic scene that I was studying with such fascination and trying to work out its purpose which is a wonderful feeling that cinema rarely brings. Perhaps it is just a vanity continuation of Lessage's work, or perhaps it is a continuation of the film's natural thematic conclusion. We see the purest, simplistic and most relatable version of 'first love', in all its awkwardness, which is really personal and full of hope. Whilst watching I noticed several child actors sharing similarities to the supporting cast of the film before, or lines of dialogue that sounded eerily similar and I just can't wait to dive right back into the film because of this.
'Genesis' is a fascinating film. It takes something so naturalistic, occasionally predictable and romanticise and makes it such a confident piece of filmmaking. Lessage is obviously a careful and meticulous filmmaker, demonstrating his skill and attention to detail in this film which I will be thinking of for a while now.
Thanks for reading!