WORDS Eva Short

At three hours long, sitting through all of Abdellatif Kechiche’s Palme d’Or winning Blue is the Warmest Colour may sound like a challenge. The myth surrounding the film’s sex scenes and alleged mistreatment of its lead actors may add intrigue for some, but perhaps not enough to justify such a duration; yet the time melts away. Far more than just a product of controversy, this film is a dynamic portrayal of a romance that spans over ten years, gracefully charting the ups and downs of a passionate relationship and how time plays a part in its development and eventual breakdown.

Adel (Adèle Exarchopoulous) is a teenager with a “voracious appetite,” seen frequently eating ravenously and asking for seconds. So when blue-haired Emma (Léa Seydoux), an older Fine Arts student, meets eyes with her across a crowded street, Adele’s appetite is only whetted even more. The use of the colour blue, which looms constantly in any scene where Adele is present, artfully builds up a tension that leads to an explosive yet understated first encounter with Emma. Amazingly, it is the sex scenes which threaten this incredible ambiance — the scenes are drawn out, uncomfortable sexual paroxysms that elicit a combination of cringing and scoffing. It is the one black mark on an otherwise eminently worthwhile feature. While the film’s description may inspire expectations of long, uber-French artistic masturbation (and maybe some literal, too), it is in fact a beautifully acted, written and directed piece that is deserving of the prestigious award it was bestowed.