Sport de filles France, Germany 2011 – 101min.

Movie Rating

Sport de filles

Valérie Lobsiger
Movie Rating: Valérie Lobsiger

A penniless young woman who's passionate about riding dreams of having a horse.

The impulsive and rebellious Gracieuse (Marina Hands) has but one passion: horses. When her employer doesn't honor his promise of giving her a mount, she quits and leaves, instead getting a job as a groom for Joséphine de Silice (Josiane Balasko), who manages a stud farm with an iron fist. The farm has been successful for 20 years thanks to former dressage champion Franz Mann (Bruno Ganz). Franz is momentarily tempted to follow his client and mistress Susan (Armanda Harlech), a filthy rich American who has the hots for him. But he realizes he'll never be more than her toy, as he is for Joséphine. Gracieuse's fire and intransigence make him want to take his life back into his own hands...

Director Patricia Mazuy's (Saint-Cyr) film has hard-hitting dialogue and stars two opposing sorts of people: those who bend in exchange for security and a place in society (like Gracieuse's father and her lover), and those who rebel against order even when they're broke, just to follow their passion. The film's language goes far beyond the equestrian world, even if it is a pleasure to see that Marina Hands is not only an excellent actress, but also a splendid rider: it turns out riding was her first passion prior to acting.

31.05.2021

4

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