Multi-hyphenate Suzanne Lindon has Cesar-winning actors Vincent Lindon and Sandrine Kiberlain as parents, and knew from a young age she wanted to find her way into performing in film world on her own terms, and by her own merits. She started writing Spring Blossom, (originally titled Seize Printemps, which means 16 Spring in French) at the age of 15, as a way to create a strong lead character for herself as actor. In 2019, she decided to direct the work as well.
Her film, which was borne out of a curiosity around her own boredom with people her age, was chosen as an official selection at the 2020 Cannes Film Festival, but wasn’t screened because of the pandemic. It is now releasing worldwide. The story centers on teenaged Suzanne (played by Lindon), who has a rather charmed life and a happy family, but finds herself bored and disenchanted by her peers. She meets 35 year old actor Raphaël (Arnaud Valois), who has also lost interest in his own life experiences. These two misfits form a bond and fall in love.
Most people might find the premise for this film uncomfortable, given there has been so much press and so many revelations recently about older men grooming and ultimately sexually abusing girls, both inside Hollywood and out. Viewers may feel angst or enervation watching Spring Blossom, believing it is only a matter of time before the relationship gets physical and, by extension, damaging and dark. Rest assured, this is not that story. This story is about two people who are trapped in a vortex of ennui, and how they pull each other out. Their interactions remain chaste, and Suzanne unquestionably has agency and makes considered, smart decisions, even when facing the pain of love.
To read the review in its entirety, go to the AWFJ.org site HERE.
