07/05/2014 - Today sees the theatrical release of Not My Type and Puppy Love, two Belgian films about love, sex, feelings and equality within a couple

Puppy Love by Delphine Lehericey

Lucas Belvaux is back with Not My Type [+see also:
trailer
interview: Lucas Belvaux
film profile]. While the director never truly lost sight of the possibilities offered by couples in his latest films, which were more overtly society-focused, at first glance Not My Type appears to be a romantic comedy. Clément, a very popular philosophy teacher – who is a Parisian to boot – is transferred to the provinces. Admittedly they’re rather beautiful provinces (he ends up in Arras), but they’re the provinces all the same. There, he very quickly succumbs to the charms of Jennifer, a young hairdresser. But although they both quickly get swept away by passion, Clément, who specialises in theorising about love, is not the kind of guy who is looking to settle down, while Jennifer, a young, single mother, would certainly not say no to a little stability. Very quickly, their lovers’ tiff escalates into a class war, in spite of the main characters’ best efforts. On the heels of Loving Without Reason [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Joachim Lafosse
film profile], Emilie Dequenne again delivers a gripping performance, successfully bringing out Jennifer’s supposed superficiality as well as her emotional depth with conviction. The film, produced in Belgium by Artemis, is distributed by Cinéart in almost 20 cinemas.

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The other romantic Belgian film being released this week is Puppy Love [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], the feature debut by Delphine Lehericey. In it, we follow the first amorous, and above all sensual, flutters of Diane, a young, somewhat uncommunicative teenager. It doesn’t contribute anything particularly new to the landscape of the seventh art; however, the director manages to capture delicately, and at the same time frankly and realistically, the procrastination of Diane (played with great attention to detail by a highly sensitive Solène Rigot), a character who, in between exploring her urges and having some of her hopes and dreams shattered, ends up discovering her own freedom. Produced in Belgium by Entre chien et Loup, the film is being released across five screens. 

(Translated from French)