CW: transphobia, forced outing, possible trans negation Just to caution that the movie gets very woolly towards the end. I've said in previous videos that part of Celine Sciamma's power and elusiveness as a director is her unwillingness to explain or label her characters. However, that can run into some issues with how her films are interpreted. The protagonist of Tomboy is Sciamma's most non-verbal, by design because of their age. And it runs into some issues that in trying to create a story that resonates with everyone, the film can minimize its trans narrative. This may be a difference in time, in culture - I don't know what the culture in France around trans issues is. I, as an American, come from a place where labels are demanded in almost every sphere. I understand that can be stifling for an artist like Celine Sciamma. But at least here, we need those labels because without them, marginalized communities can be denied their identity and their stories.
I think the lack of labels kind of suits the film being from the perspective of a child. But I agree that it could possibly be interpreted by some transphobic narratives. JK Rowling had a bit in her letter about it being common for girls to question their gender, but in the context of scaremongering gender affirming medical treatments. I think the childhood perspective offers a sort of lack of context. Perhaps it would be better today if it suggested that boys can also have fluid gender performances? Or it would have been better if their mum asked whether they preferred being a boy. Also, there was a sense of forboding related to them being outed, so maybe their mum tellling people was better than the playdough falling out?
@@alicem5149 I just wanna clarify that I think the film presents transphobia as one of its elements, but it isn't necessarily transphobic. The mom could still not acknowledge Mikael's trans identity and the film would not be transphobic, so much as exploring transphobia. My discomfort comes from Mikael negating their own trans identity at the end, without context. That is rooted in the artistic core of the film, but I can't reconcile it with the political realities of today. That I find more troubling than the transphobia in the narrative. Maybe in 50 years the culture around trans rights will have evened out enough, and Tomboy can be taken then as films like The Children's Hour are taken now.
You are a hidden gem of UA-cam, I hope more people come to discover your channel, and thanks for the lovely review of this movie! I find it hard to discuss lesser know movies like this one with my friends, so it’s great seeing others review and tackle the themes!
So happy to hear your thoughts on this film! I'd say girls definitely don't buy or know how to do makeup properly at that age or at least I (26) didn't! But sometimes we had "play makeup" that we messed around with. Also I was reading the comments on the trailer and a lot of people seem to think Mikael wasn't really trans and was just going along with it because people assumed they were a boy. Of course lots of girls have a tomboy phase but personally I do think Mikael was intended to be a trans boy, at least at that point in their life (the modelling clay scene mainly makes me think that).
It was a rewarding and tough watch! I really like Mikael - perhaps more than any other Sciamma protagonist. But it might be because they're the most unlike me. I am looking forward to Petite Maman!
A lot of online descriptions of the films also describes Mikael as following along with the others kids assumption that he is male. I disagree too because he meets Lisa first, and introduced himself as Mikael before she used any gendered terms for him to go along with.
It seems Sciamma wants the audience to come to their own conclusions as she tends to leave them so open-ended and ask questions of the audience. I love seeing you go through the motions of deciding how you feel about it, I think that's how/why she constructs films the way she does. I didn't see this movie as clearly a trans narrative (from my perspective only) because I was/am a tomboy and this movie feels really resonant with my childhood and how I existed in the world. My mom was never comfortable with it and didn't know how to deal with it when I was a kid and it was so awkward. I felt really seen by this movie. It was on my list of best films that year, it was only after I watched Portrait that I googled the director and found that it was the same person, and had also seen Water Lilies by then so I had no idea this person out there was making movies that connected with me so much. That was such an exciting discovery! If you want to stick with the Sciamma train while she contemplates a new film, she has also co-written several movies like My Life As A Courgette, Being 17, and the recent Paris 13th District that all have a lot of traces of her brainpower in them.
i am actually doing this movie for a a psychology essay, among other movies dealing with trans identidies and lgbt exploration during adolescense. I found it do deal with the fairly common thing, that is a girl going about their childhood in a non gender conforming way and that child having the freedon to do so without having labels put on it very interesting and untimatly good. As not all tomboys go on to be part of the lgbt spectrum, it reflects very well the reality that letting a kid explore their gender freely without navigating them on way or the other, but giving them the information to make their decisions is what we should strive to do.
@@pillboxmovies although I didn´t used it on the essay, I highly recommend The Handmainden, from South Korea. Is a beautiful film. And thanks, we should get the grades sometime next week!
Love Celine Sciamma and her films so much but this was tough to watch. It is interesting seeing it from a 2021 lens. On one hand I’m impressed she made this at the time she did when trans issues weren’t really discussed as much. On the other hand I can see how this could be super triggering and particularly difficult for some people. Admittedly I haven’t seen the whole movie yet, but if there is one takeaway I’m getting from this video it is how great it feels to genuinely be yourself. The pure joy and affirmation of being who you are and accepted. What gets me is calling someone by their preferred pronouns literally costs nothing. Letting someone dress the way they want costs nothing and look how much joy it brings. I get why the mom felt how she did but what an unbelievable burden to put on a child. And to push it further by making them wear a dress and outing them to their friends. Ugh, this one hurts. Definitely a lot to think about.
I am still having a hard time working out my feelings about it and I watched it maybe a month ago? The artistry of the movie is still preserved and I respect Sciamma so deeply. I think a close example I can think of is Breakfast at Tiffany's. The racism on that film is so abhorrent and clearly on display. Having said that, it is undeniable that the film has and continues to touch many people positively. But that doesn't erase the racism's existence. I think it's a matter of your own tastes, and having to reconcile that Tomboy is both good and problematic. For my taste, I love the character Mikael so much, and think of them as a trans character, so the ending can be almost nothing but negative for me.
Damn, I never thought someone would react to this movie. Despite the controversy I love this film, the ending is very realistic and it happens mostly all the time. It's not like most mothers would just say ok and let you do whatever you want, of course she repressed them. Happened to me and happens to most people with the same problem as me.
Oh wow, I am down the Celine Sciamma rabbit hole now. I dont know if its just because I relate to gender identity crisis being a part of my childhood long ago. I am in the U.S. and The role expectations were made painfully clear. Any deviation was met with possible exile. Am I just addicted to her work right now? or is she doing this and showing this in a way I have not seen or experienced before? She makes me so uncomfortable with how close she gets to moments, gestures, looks that I can recognize. Maybe a phase? I don’t know but she has me wrapped up right now. Thanks for posting this!
I get into this in a secret Portrait of a Lady on Fire video, but Sciamma becomes so attuned to gestures and non verbal communication that at times it feels pointless trying to give rational commentary to her work. You're reacting viscerally and subconsciously to the mechanics of body language to a point of words feeling wanting.
Yes, I may need to find out how to view that because “ Portrait” is what got me into this mess. I think I am looking for outlets to deal with what that film did to me. I did not even realize there was no score til much into the film, I found myself so locked in and she did things with all those aspects we mentioned including silence and sounds that I cant explain. She made music out of footsteps, glances, lighting a pipe, brush strokes, cutting vegetables, Sophie’s pain, even Heloise’s smile had a sound and music. I finally realized it when Marianne runs to the shore and you always get that swell of emotional music guiding you and instead Celine left me alone there with them and their performance to see, hear and feel it myself. It took me that long to figure it out. Ok sorry, Ill stop there as I am late to this party and all this has been said, I am just still sort of overwhelmed with it right now. I am also learning her films in reverse order It seems. Thank you,
"A.E.: I was struck by your film Tomboy[1] and that dreadful scene: Laure-Mickaël’s mother forces her to put on a dress and to confess that she lied and pretended to be a boy. We’re plunged into a child’s tragedy. C.S.: You know, I wouldn’t do that scene again today. I wouldn’t be able to film that kind of violence any more. This scene was much commented on in the debates that followed the film’s screenings at the time of its release: the audience members rejected it. People can’t bear to watch the depiction of the domination of adults over children when it’s already everywhere. It’s even THE big scandal: it’s a naturalized, essentialized domination, but we don’t want to see it." celinesfiamma.tumblr.com/post/644664939412406272/c%C3%A9line-sciamma-annie-ernaux-s%C5%93urs-de-combat
I actually never interpreted the main character to be transgender in this, especially the first time I saw this movie in 2015/16. Nothing wrong with that interpretation, obviously, and now I actually think that the movie and ending are vague enough to be interpreted by the viewer, but it's not my view. Note that I will refer to the main character as "she", due to my interpretation, but I do not do this to cause any harm. I grew up as a tomboy-ish girl who "fixated" on other girls (I'm bi), so the movie feels very relatable to me. I had it all: the short hair phase, the wearing boys' clothes, and most of all wanting to feel accepted as myself. In the movie, I think you could argue that Laure sees "Mickaël" as a new identity to explore herself. She's pushing boundaries. I think in part she understands that being a girl and acting like a boy is a no-go, so that's part of the reason why she feels the need to pretend she's a boy. I mean it like this: short hair, boys' clothes and liking girls is only okay if she's actually a boy, so she pretends to be. Not becuase she actually is, but as a defense mechanism in a sexist society.
@@pillboxmovies ok cool, thanks! i was just wondering. also: i love you channel!! your personality and the movies you choose to watch. I hosted a queer movie night last Friday in uni (big success!!) and we screened Shiva Baby (2020) and Tomboy (2011). (I wanted to show people Happy Together (1997) but the demand was too low...) Anyway, that's what led me to you channel.
This looks like an awesome movie haha. I’ve always thought an interesting topic to cover in a movie would be why someone makes porn, and in my case from the perspective of a gay man lmao. I’d love to see more reactions to the Daniel Craig Bond films, they have a ton of artistic merit to me and really influenced my filmmaking too :)
I don't know any movies that explicitly explore the reasons for producing pornography, beyond from the usual financial incentives and Burt Reynolds wanting to push the medium into an art form in Boogie Nights. It's an interesting thought! And there's lots of content out there about the Craig Bond films; I've seen them all already so I'm not going to be covering them on this channel. I think Cinema Rules is starting a Bond reaction series, though.
I never realized till now that the boy is transgender and that they handled things badly at the end. Its like how Love Simon was terrible to gay people
![Girlfriends are *magic* - Celine Sciamma's GIRLHOOD | first reaction + commentary [reupload]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/sneA_XLZasE/mqdefault.jpg)
![Girlfriends are *magic* - Celine Sciamma's GIRLHOOD | first reaction + commentary [reupload]](/img/tr.png)
CW: transphobia, forced outing, possible trans negation
Just to caution that the movie gets very woolly towards the end. I've said in previous videos that part of Celine Sciamma's power and elusiveness as a director is her unwillingness to explain or label her characters. However, that can run into some issues with how her films are interpreted. The protagonist of Tomboy is Sciamma's most non-verbal, by design because of their age. And it runs into some issues that in trying to create a story that resonates with everyone, the film can minimize its trans narrative.
This may be a difference in time, in culture - I don't know what the culture in France around trans issues is. I, as an American, come from a place where labels are demanded in almost every sphere. I understand that can be stifling for an artist like Celine Sciamma. But at least here, we need those labels because without them, marginalized communities can be denied their identity and their stories.
I think the lack of labels kind of suits the film being from the perspective of a child. But I agree that it could possibly be interpreted by some transphobic narratives. JK Rowling had a bit in her letter about it being common for girls to question their gender, but in the context of scaremongering gender affirming medical treatments. I think the childhood perspective offers a sort of lack of context. Perhaps it would be better today if it suggested that boys can also have fluid gender performances? Or it would have been better if their mum asked whether they preferred being a boy.
Also, there was a sense of forboding related to them being outed, so maybe their mum tellling people was better than the playdough falling out?
@@alicem5149 I just wanna clarify that I think the film presents transphobia as one of its elements, but it isn't necessarily transphobic. The mom could still not acknowledge Mikael's trans identity and the film would not be transphobic, so much as exploring transphobia. My discomfort comes from Mikael negating their own trans identity at the end, without context. That is rooted in the artistic core of the film, but I can't reconcile it with the political realities of today. That I find more troubling than the transphobia in the narrative. Maybe in 50 years the culture around trans rights will have evened out enough, and Tomboy can be taken then as films like The Children's Hour are taken now.
You are a hidden gem of UA-cam, I hope more people come to discover your channel, and thanks for the lovely review of this movie! I find it hard to discuss lesser know movies like this one with my friends, so it’s great seeing others review and tackle the themes!
So happy to hear your thoughts on this film!
I'd say girls definitely don't buy or know how to do makeup properly at that age or at least I (26) didn't! But sometimes we had "play makeup" that we messed around with.
Also I was reading the comments on the trailer and a lot of people seem to think Mikael wasn't really trans and was just going along with it because people assumed they were a boy. Of course lots of girls have a tomboy phase but personally I do think Mikael was intended to be a trans boy, at least at that point in their life (the modelling clay scene mainly makes me think that).
It was a rewarding and tough watch! I really like Mikael - perhaps more than any other Sciamma protagonist. But it might be because they're the most unlike me. I am looking forward to Petite Maman!
I thought the makeup make him even more handsome,not feminine
A lot of online descriptions of the films also describes Mikael as following along with the others kids assumption that he is male. I disagree too because he meets Lisa first, and introduced himself as Mikael before she used any gendered terms for him to go along with.
It seems Sciamma wants the audience to come to their own conclusions as she tends to leave them so open-ended and ask questions of the audience. I love seeing you go through the motions of deciding how you feel about it, I think that's how/why she constructs films the way she does. I didn't see this movie as clearly a trans narrative (from my perspective only) because I was/am a tomboy and this movie feels really resonant with my childhood and how I existed in the world. My mom was never comfortable with it and didn't know how to deal with it when I was a kid and it was so awkward. I felt really seen by this movie. It was on my list of best films that year, it was only after I watched Portrait that I googled the director and found that it was the same person, and had also seen Water Lilies by then so I had no idea this person out there was making movies that connected with me so much. That was such an exciting discovery! If you want to stick with the Sciamma train while she contemplates a new film, she has also co-written several movies like My Life As A Courgette, Being 17, and the recent Paris 13th District that all have a lot of traces of her brainpower in them.
this movie breaks my heart
i am actually doing this movie for a a psychology essay, among other movies dealing with trans identidies and lgbt exploration during adolescense. I found it do deal with the fairly common thing, that is a girl going about their childhood in a non gender conforming way and that child having the freedon to do so without having labels put on it very interesting and untimatly good. As not all tomboys go on to be part of the lgbt spectrum, it reflects very well the reality that letting a kid explore their gender freely without navigating them on way or the other, but giving them the information to make their decisions is what we should strive to do.
Good luck on your essay! Were there any other films/media you would recommend?
@@pillboxmovies although I didn´t used it on the essay, I highly recommend The Handmainden, from South Korea. Is a beautiful film. And thanks, we should get the grades sometime next week!
Love Celine Sciamma and her films so much but this was tough to watch. It is interesting seeing it from a 2021 lens. On one hand I’m impressed she made this at the time she did when trans issues weren’t really discussed as much. On the other hand I can see how this could be super triggering and particularly difficult for some people. Admittedly I haven’t seen the whole movie yet, but if there is one takeaway I’m getting from this video it is how great it feels to genuinely be yourself. The pure joy and affirmation of being who you are and accepted. What gets me is calling someone by their preferred pronouns literally costs nothing. Letting someone dress the way they want costs nothing and look how much joy it brings. I get why the mom felt how she did but what an unbelievable burden to put on a child. And to push it further by making them wear a dress and outing them to their friends. Ugh, this one hurts. Definitely a lot to think about.
I am still having a hard time working out my feelings about it and I watched it maybe a month ago? The artistry of the movie is still preserved and I respect Sciamma so deeply. I think a close example I can think of is Breakfast at Tiffany's. The racism on that film is so abhorrent and clearly on display. Having said that, it is undeniable that the film has and continues to touch many people positively. But that doesn't erase the racism's existence. I think it's a matter of your own tastes, and having to reconcile that Tomboy is both good and problematic. For my taste, I love the character Mikael so much, and think of them as a trans character, so the ending can be almost nothing but negative for me.
That makes a lot of sense. Appreciate your thoughts!
Damn, I never thought someone would react to this movie. Despite the controversy I love this film, the ending is very realistic and it happens mostly all the time. It's not like most mothers would just say ok and let you do whatever you want, of course she repressed them.
Happened to me and happens to most people with the same problem as me.
that hurt my heart 😭💔
Mine too 🛌
The narrator is not the start of this video; but he makes himself so
Oh wow, I am down the Celine Sciamma rabbit hole now. I dont know if its just because I relate to gender identity crisis being a part of my childhood long ago. I am in the U.S. and The role expectations were made painfully clear. Any deviation was met with possible exile. Am I just addicted to her work right now? or is she doing this and showing this in a way I have not seen or experienced before? She makes me so uncomfortable with how close she gets to moments, gestures, looks that I can recognize. Maybe a phase? I don’t know but she has me wrapped up right now. Thanks for posting this!
I get into this in a secret Portrait of a Lady on Fire video, but Sciamma becomes so attuned to gestures and non verbal communication that at times it feels pointless trying to give rational commentary to her work. You're reacting viscerally and subconsciously to the mechanics of body language to a point of words feeling wanting.
Yes, I may need to find out how to view that because “ Portrait” is what got me into this mess. I think I am looking for outlets to deal with what that film did to me. I did not even realize there was no score til much into the film, I found myself so locked in and she did things with all those aspects we mentioned including silence and sounds that I cant explain. She made music out of footsteps, glances, lighting a pipe, brush strokes, cutting vegetables, Sophie’s pain, even Heloise’s smile had a sound and music. I finally realized it when Marianne runs to the shore and you always get that swell of emotional music guiding you and instead Celine left me alone there with them and their performance to see, hear and feel it myself. It took me that long to figure it out. Ok sorry, Ill stop there as I am late to this party and all this has been said, I am just still sort of overwhelmed with it right now. I am also learning her films in reverse order It seems. Thank you,
"A.E.: I was struck by your film Tomboy[1] and that dreadful scene: Laure-Mickaël’s mother forces her to put on a dress and to confess that she lied and pretended to be a boy. We’re plunged into a child’s tragedy.
C.S.: You know, I wouldn’t do that scene again today. I wouldn’t be able to film that kind of violence any more. This scene was much commented on in the debates that followed the film’s screenings at the time of its release: the audience members rejected it. People can’t bear to watch the depiction of the domination of adults over children when it’s already everywhere. It’s even THE big scandal: it’s a naturalized, essentialized domination, but we don’t want to see it."
celinesfiamma.tumblr.com/post/644664939412406272/c%C3%A9line-sciamma-annie-ernaux-s%C5%93urs-de-combat
I actually never interpreted the main character to be transgender in this, especially the first time I saw this movie in 2015/16.
Nothing wrong with that interpretation, obviously, and now I actually think that the movie and ending are vague enough to be interpreted by the viewer, but it's not my view.
Note that I will refer to the main character as "she", due to my interpretation, but I do not do this to cause any harm.
I grew up as a tomboy-ish girl who "fixated" on other girls (I'm bi), so the movie feels very relatable to me. I had it all: the short hair phase, the wearing boys' clothes, and most of all wanting to feel accepted as myself.
In the movie, I think you could argue that Laure sees "Mickaël" as a new identity to explore herself. She's pushing boundaries. I think in part she understands that being a girl and acting like a boy is a no-go, so that's part of the reason why she feels the need to pretend she's a boy.
I mean it like this: short hair, boys' clothes and liking girls is only okay if she's actually a boy, so she pretends to be. Not becuase she actually is, but as a defense mechanism in a sexist society.
6:47 why do you think it is set in the 80'? i always thought is was "now" - i.e. 2011 or at least the late 2010's.
I don't remember if I kept it in this edit, but later they show a laptop so I revise my statement.
@@pillboxmovies ok cool, thanks! i was just wondering.
also: i love you channel!! your personality and the movies you choose to watch. I hosted a queer movie night last Friday in uni (big success!!) and we screened Shiva Baby (2020) and Tomboy (2011). (I wanted to show people Happy Together (1997) but the demand was too low...) Anyway, that's what led me to you channel.
where can i watch the movie ?
This looks like an awesome movie haha. I’ve always thought an interesting topic to cover in a movie would be why someone makes porn, and in my case from the perspective of a gay man lmao. I’d love to see more reactions to the Daniel Craig Bond films, they have a ton of artistic merit to me and really influenced my filmmaking too :)
I don't know any movies that explicitly explore the reasons for producing pornography, beyond from the usual financial incentives and Burt Reynolds wanting to push the medium into an art form in Boogie Nights. It's an interesting thought! And there's lots of content out there about the Craig Bond films; I've seen them all already so I'm not going to be covering them on this channel. I think Cinema Rules is starting a Bond reaction series, though.
@@pillboxmovies hey btw like are you a filmmaker yourself? You seem like a real interesting dude haha. Your editing is def on point ;)
I never realized till now that the boy is transgender and that they handled things badly at the end. Its like how Love Simon was terrible to gay people