Innocence (DVD IEF 226) By Lucile Hadzihalilovic

This film by director Lucile Hadzihalilovic is a stunning example of contemporary symbolist fiction. Based on the novella by Frank Wedekind (author of Spring Awakening), the story follows the daily routine of an unusual all-girls school located in an isolated forest. I was pulled in by the extreme vividness of the cinematography; the green of the forest and the colored ribbons in the girls’ hair is completely saturated amongst crisp pastels and high contrasts. A very sparse soundtrack of classical music is supplimented by heightened ambient noise, adding an eeriness to the other-worldly environment. I recommend it if you liked Picnic at Hanging Rock (DVD CRIT 053), La mala educación (DVD SONYHE 057), and Palindromes (DVD WELL 027).