Les chatouilles

A movie about interpretative dance, pedophilia and the lasting consequences of sexual abuse is a movie I expected to admire for its existence more than I would enjoy watching, but, to my surprise, I ended up really liking it. Thanks to its excellent direction, it manages to explore heavy subjects without ever becoming overly melodramatic, and keeps a good balance between humor and gravity. The auto-biographical and self interpreted aspects add a dimension of authenticity that really elevates it.

Les chatouilles explores the impact of child sexual abuse in a personalised fashion as Bescond draws from her own experience. The wild lifestyle, mood swings & dancing all have a sense of dynamism giving the film plenty of comedic beats, alongside therapy sessions that play with perspective as Bescond's Odette confronts her denial & repression. Well-paced with a strong script, the film skirts the fine line between light-heartedness & dourness resulting in a film that feels fresh & distinct.