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Clement
Clément
2001 139 min France 18+
★6.6
Drama, Romance
Director: Emmanuelle Bercot
Trailers
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Description
Benoit turns 13 and develops an intense crush on his godmother, Marion. As they lie on beaches in the summer, she humors him by talking about the mysteries of women.
Starring
Olivier Gueritée
Actor
Emmanuelle Bercot
Actor
Kevin Goffette
Actor
Awards
Cannes Film Festival 2001
— Youth Jury Prize (French Film)
Key opinion
Clement is a polarizing and provocative character study that explores a taboo age-gap romance through a raw, unvarnished lens. While some critics praise its bold, honest approach to female desire, others condemn the film as repetitive, morally questionable, and narratively unfocused.
| Originality | The film's central premise—a romantic relationship between a 30-year-old woman and a 13-year-old boy—acts as a provocative, high-stakes hook that polarizes viewers on moral grounds. | |
| Direction | Emmanuelle Bercot’s direction and performance provide a daring, unfiltered, and deeply personal exploration of unconventional desire. | |
| Runtime | The 139-minute runtime feels unnecessarily stretched, relying on muted, elongated scenes that test the audience's patience. | |
| Cinematography | The cinematography utilizes a shaky, handheld aesthetic that some find artistically raw and others find simply poor in execution. | |
| Screenplay | Character development is criticized for focusing heavily on the female lead's chaotic impulses while leaving the titular boy underdeveloped and his motivations obscured. |