Bang Gang (A Modern Love Story)

Eva Husson debuts her first feature film Bang Gang, a dreamy picture that follows the lives of five French teenagers in the midst of a heatwave. Husson manages to create a visually stunning piece of work that captures life through the eyes of her characters. The film begins with two friends: George (a striking blonde who captures the attention of her male counterparts through her confidence and sexual appetite) and her best friend, Laetitia, an introverted girl who contrasts with George in both looks and values. The viewer embarks on a journey with the teenagers as they change and grow.

The theme of sexuality is palpable; it weaves itself around the structure of the whole film and is present in every scene – whether subtle or not. Although it’s not a new concept, Husson adds a refreshing new stance on the subject in the way she reserves judgement on her characters. The unapologetic actions of her characters are meant to highlight the carelessness of youth and not reprimand them.  Sexuality has always been a difficult subject to broach, but Husson abandons that notion and dives in at the deep end. The story follows the two girls as they befriend Nikta (Fred Hotier) and Alex (Finnegan Oldfield). Not long after they become acquainted, a series of events concludes in the creation of the Bang Gang, which entails a house full of sweaty teenagers engaging in drug use and raw sexual activity that ends disastrously.

The mesmerising quality of this film manifests via its beautiful dream-like shots. The colour and the lighting are deliberate and essential to the plot and just as exciting as the narrative itself.

Husson’s directorial debut is strong. Via an examination of the relationship made between teenagers and sex, it puts a modern spin on the age-old experience of being a teenager and dealing with loneliness.

Aisha Mohamed

Bang Gang (A Modern Love Story) is released in selected cinemas on 17^th June 2016.

Watch the trailer for Bang Gang (A Modern Love Story) here: