Released on 14th March 2008

Directed by Céline Sciamma

Starring Pauline Acquart, Adèle Haenel, Louise Blachère

Set in the competitive world of synchronised swimming, WATER LILIES is a brilliantly observed portrait of female adolescence. The film centres around three 15-year-old-girls who experience first love in very different ways. WATER LILIES is the directorial debut of twenty-seven year-old Céline Sciamma and stars newcomers Pauline Acquart, Louise Blachère, Adèle Haenel and Warren Jacquin. Premiering at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival in Un Certain Regard, Sciamma and her young cast were widely hailed as among the most talented newcomers to emerge from the festival.

Celine Sciamma’s assured debut captures the essence of teen angst and blossoming sexuality in a manner that’s altogether more realistic than most UK or US teen dramas. With a synchronised swimming club in a bland Parisian suburb as the backdrop, it tells of three young girls grappling with impending womanhood. Their awkwardness and insecurities are familiar yet the script and character development are cleverly measured.