River Child

The film opens with a bizarre, yet entirely apt image - an underwater baby. It doesn't make any sense, but arrests the viewer for a little while, so the story can reach its audience.

Two sisters go for a bit of sunbathing just outside the city, they pick a spot just next to a river. It's all rather elegantly shot - colour schemes are earthy: blues, greens and browns.

There are repeated shots of butterflies, which is a potent metaphor for the girls sexuality awakening - the initial setup reminds us of Catherine Breillat trashy A Ma Soeur!, with a teenage sexpot older sister and a slightly frumpy younger sister. They undress and try to catch some rays, while two annoying teenage boys play some football nearby and try to get their attention - sex is most likely on the agenda. The younger sister wants nothing to do with this cheesy ritual, and heads off to the river.

An inciting incident at the river brings out the character's true heroic worth in a clever, yet not overdone piece of drama.