Innocence

Innocence, or the dramatization of childhood turmoil


The film is loosely adapted from the novella Mine-Haha, or On the Bodily Education of Young Girls (1903) by the German playwright Frank Wedekind, which describes a singular bodily and social education of young girls in an isolated setting.


With Innocence, Lucile Hadžihalilović has created a rare, silent, and unsettling work that runs counter to classical narrative cinema. Set in an isolated boarding school deep in a forest, the film follows the daily lives of young girls cut off from the world, subjected to a rigid and mysterious education. There are no precise temporal markers, few explanations: the viewer is invited to observe, to feel, rather than to understand immediately. This deliberate opacity is what makes the film so unique.


Innocence explores the fragile boundary between childhood and adolescence. The director films bodies with an almost choreographic precision: repeated gestures, dance classes, daily rituals. Learning becomes discipline, grace exists alongside anxiety. The innocence of the title is never idealized; on the contrary, it is permeated by fear, expectation, and transformation. The film thus questions how society shapes female bodies from a very young age, often in silence and obedience.


Visually, Innocence stands out with its minimalist and sensory aesthetic. Natural light, enclosed sets, and the constant presence of the surrounding nature reinforce a dreamlike, almost surreal atmosphere. With minimal dialogue and a discreet soundtrack, Lucile Hadžihalilović favors suggestion over explicit depiction. This approach may divide, fascinate, or disconcert audiences, but it certainly doesn't leave them indifferent.


A demanding, sometimes uncomfortable work, Innocence appeals more to the eye than to logic. It is less a narrative than a cinematic experience, where the viewer is invited to reflect on education, control, and the gradual loss of innocence.


 A film that confirms Lucile Hadžihalilović's unique place in the landscape of European auteur cinema.



TECHNICAL FACT SHEET

Original title: Innocence
Year of production: 2004
Countries: France, United Kingdom, Belgium
Genre: Drama, fantasy, psychological film
Running time: 122 minutes (approx. 2h02)
Original language: French
French release date: January 12, 2005


Direction and Writing

  • Director: Lucile Hadžihalilović
  • Screenplay: Lucile Hadžihalilović
  • Based on: Mine-Haha, or On the Bodily Education of Young Girls by Frank Wedekind

Main Cast

  • Marion Cotillard — Miss Eva
  • Hélène de Fougerolles — Miss Edith
  • Zoé Auclair — Iris
  • Léa Bridarolli — Alice
  • Bérangère Haubruge — Bianca

Technical Crew

  • Director of Photography: Benoît Debie
  • Editing: Adam Finch
  • Original Music: Richard Cooke
  • Production Design: Arnaud de Moléron
  • Costume Design: Laurence Benoit
  • Sound: Jean-Luc Audy
  • Executive Producer: Patrick Sobelman