LFF: Blue Is The Warmest Colour (2013) Dir. Abdellatif Kechiche

Tunisian-French director, Abdellatif Kechiche’s film is deeply moving - Fearlessly sexy & utterly original. This coming of age film about a young lesbian couples relationship, excites all the senses.

Adele (played by Adele Exarchopoulos) is a seemingly shy fifteen year old, after a brief affair with a boy at school she begins to discover her sexuality and breaks it off with the devastated young boy. Bewildered by her feelings, whilst the cosmic sounds of a street steel band can be heard, Adele crosses paths with blue-haired, Emma (played by Lea Seydoux). There is an instant connection as both girls look back at each other lingering onto that bit of magic. The steel bands are heard again, during the last sequence of the film, suggesting something good on the horizon for Adele or perhaps it’s a reminder of their initial meet. Either way it’s a beautiful sentiment. Adele is an aspiring teacher and Emma an artist – The two girls meet again at a gay bar and hit it off immediately.

The filming is intimate in style; Intense close ups of characters faces allows the audience right into the heart of the story. This is about Adele and Emma. Nothing else. The sex scenes are extremely courageous and surprisingly, despite the film being directed by a man, it lacks any shred of maneuvering the gaze to a male focused angle.

The obvious beauty of this film lays in the fact there are many art-house elements to it. There is a continuous blue motif beginning with Emma’s hair colour leading to the art direction and costume. Nature plays a central character in the film hinting at a watchful spiritual- guardian surrounding the couple and their pivotal moments. The sun can be seen, shimmering out between their heads as they part from their first poignant kiss; the autumn leaves dancing around as Adele rests her head on their bench.

Film Still - Adele - Blue motif

A romanticised depiction of food is depicted; Constant close up’s of Adele candidly eating her spaghetti with much vigor. Emma’s family prefer oysters which reflects their open minded attitude to Emma’s sexuality compared to the couple having to pretend their merely friends during a visit to Adele’s, less hip parents. What does this preoccupation with food suggest? Sheer indulgence. Gratifying the senses without a crumb of shame or hesitation about it.

During the second half of the film, once Adele and Emma are living together, Adele appears to have become a silent muse to her upcoming artist girlfriend. She cooks spaghetti for all of their friends and her to-the-point worldly views become a form of commodity to Emma and her Satre reading, art loving friends.  Adele has become domesticated, the housewife concerned for the stagnant state of their relationship. Emma’s focus is on friends and speaking about her art. Time has caused the fire to dampen down between the two of them. By addressing this very common issue in relationships, the film is alluring to a wider audience than one may at first glance expected. 

This is not by no means, a film merely aimed at lesbians nor is it gratifying the male fascination and curiosity with lesbian sex. Blue Is The Warmest Colour is a 3-hour feature yet it does not feel as long as it should. It’s thoroughly mesmerizing and will leave you wanting more.