La Gradiva Debuts at Virginia Film Festival
Director Marine Atlan’s feature film “La Gradiva” was presented to a full theater at the Violet Crown Cinema during the Virginia Film Festival, bringing a two-hour-and-twenty-five-minute coming-of-age story about French high school seniors on a class trip to Naples, Italy.
Cult Anticipation at the Virginia Film Festival
Before its screening in Virginia, “La Gradiva” had already gained cult anticipation following glowing journalistic coverage and award wins. Most notably, the film captured the Ami Paris Grand Prize in May at the 65th Cannes Critics Week, a program of the Cannes Film Festival dedicated to recognizing upcoming filmmaking talent. VAFF Artistic Director Ilya Tovbis introduced the screening, praising the project for its visual experience and cinematography. Tovbis highlighted Atlan’s extensive background as a cinematographer, a skill set she used by working simultaneously as director, writer, and cinematographer alongside Director of Photography Pierre Mazoyer.
Character Dynamics on the Road to Naples
The story opens at the very beginning of the class trip, tracking conversations among students aboard the train to Naples. Colas Quignard stars as Toni, a buoyant jokester paired with his vibrant best friend James, played by Mitia Capellier-Audat. Suzanne Gerin plays Suzanne, an awkward social outcast who draws grimaces from popular classmates assigned to share a room with her. Antonia Buresi rounds out the dynamic as Madame Mercier, an exhausted teacher trying to keep the children in line while holding a particular distaste for Toni.
Atlan’s modern framing gives each character depth beyond standard archetypes. Toni’s identity as a gay man emerges through a casual passing comment rather than a dramatic full-stop reveal. Topics including sex, class, and race are discussed openly by the teenagers to complement character identity rather than define it entirely. Toni pursues sexual interactions with older local men while holding unrequited feelings for James. Suzanne navigates social friction without undergoing a traditional cinematic makeover, and Madame Mercier confronts her own coming-of-age mistakes.
Realistic Dialogue Captures Contemporary French Student Speech
Nearly every actor in the cast makes a debut performance in the film. Titus Liu, an audience member who traveled from the Washington, D.C. area, praised the authenticity of the script and direction.
I felt the dialogue was super realistic, and really drew me into the friend group. I really enjoyed how they spent time with each different group they were with. It wasn’t just revolving around Toni and James … they were getting perspectives from all over the board.
Atlan’s writing mirrors contemporary French language by blending modern slang with formal sentences, capturing students talking over one another and stumbling on words.
Digital Camera Replicates Nostalgia of Eric Rohmer Films
Atlan utilizes a digital camera that replicates film grain, drawing on the celluloid-infused nostalgia of 1980s and 1990s films by French director Eric Rohmer. Bold colors and visible grain place the narrative in a timeless space despite explicit references to the present day, including a debate where Toni remarks, “This is 2025!”
Gabriel Mayor-Mora, a third-year College student in the audience, noted the strength of the production. “It was a beautiful film to watch,” Mayor-Mora said. “The performances all felt so real … I just thought it flowed together so well.”
At the same time, the runtime creates pacing challenges. Atlan frequently lets students sit in silence or hold extended conversations without a single cut. While this builds atmosphere initially, the two-hour-and-twenty-five-minute runtime causes the narrative to drag in certain scenes.
What Comes Next for the Director
The festival screening highlighted the uncertainty and anxiety experienced by teenagers through an unconventional narrative structure. As the credits rolled on Atlan’s directorial debut, audiences were left weighing the balance between its striking visual presentation of Naples and its overbearing pauses, awaiting news of the filmmaker’s next project.