17 Girls (17 filles)

Year: 2011
Country: FRANCE
Run Time: 90 minutes

Inspired by a true story that was originally set in Massachusetts in 2008, 17 GIRLS details the shocking events that take place at an all-girls' school in Lorient, France, where 17 adolescent girls get pregnant over the course of one school year. A controversial narrative that takes teenage rebellion to a new level, the film follows Camille, a sixteen-year-old beauty who convinces her four closest friends to get pregnant with her after she learns about her own unplanned pregnancy. Being the most popular girls in school, gossip and trends spread fast, resulting in a near epidemic of unprotected sex. At times you may find yourself sucked into the persuasive argument of these determined young women, admiring their loyalty to one another and defiance against authority. As Camille wistfully states, "Nobody can stop a girl who dreams." Yet, something about this captivating story remains inherently perverse, and the threat their naivety possesses lingers right up to the unsettling conclusion. (In French with subtitles) – M.M.

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