Fugueuses

"Fugueuses "aka "Une fille galante" suffers from a confusing screenplay ,which may be unpalatable for some people ; a turgid score does not help.

It owes a lot to the sadly missed Marie Trintignant, here directed by her own mother ;her strange beauty ,almost disturbing,works wonders in a part of an ambiguous woman, in search of a mother (and a father? She was the lover of a man (Daniel Gélin)who could be her father),twice confronted to death in the movie .

By usurping her friend's name and identity ,she tries to find a new mother (Nicole Garcia) to whom she sends letters .

Although primarily a psychological drama, Trintignant's movie verges on the fantasy genre : the death of Prune's dad,her mysterious disappearance , Prune 's mother odd behavior -who never shows her disapproval and never really embraces her new "daughter" .All this and the splendid Portuguese landscapes make "Fugueuses " an enticing work albeit a not very accessible one.