Being 17 (Quand on a 17 ans) (2016)
86%RT Audience Score: 75%
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins & 10 nominations
Being 17 rides the roiling emotions of adolescence through a coming-of-age melodrama whose narrative turbulence smartly reflects the confusion of its protagonists
Being 17 is like watching a French indie movie that you’re not sure you fully understand, but you still appreciate the artistry of it all. The film captures the awkwardness and confusion of adolescence in a way that feels genuine, even if the plot can be a bit contrived at times. The stunning mountain landscapes serve as a beautiful backdrop for the characters’ inner turmoil, and the chemistry between the actors is palpable. Overall, Being 17 is a coming-of-age story that’s worth a watch, even if you’re not quite sure what’s going on half the time.
Production Company(ies)
Red Crown Productions, The Princess Grace Foundation Participant
Distributor
Strand Releasing
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Bagnères de Luchon, Haute-Garonne, France
MPAA / Certificate
Unrated
Year of Release
2016
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:1.78 : 1
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Runtime:1h 54m
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Language(s):French, Spanish
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Country of origin:Belgium, France, Germany
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Oct 7, 2016 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 14, 2017
Genre(s)
Drama/Lgbtq+
Keyword(s)
Being 17, Drama, Lgbtq+, French (France), 1h 54m, Sandrine Kiberlain, Kacey Mottet Klein, Corentin Fila, Alexis Loret, Jean Fornerod, Mama Prassinos, directed by André Téchiné, written by André Téchiné, Céline Sciamma, produced by Olivier Delbosc, Marc Missonnier, reviewed by Scott Marks, J R Jones, Brad Wheeler, Radheyan Simonpillai, Alan Zilberman, Tirdad Derakhshani, David Lamble, Nicholas Bell, Alexander Ryll, Daniel Barnes, Michael McNeely, Harris Dang, box office gross USA $52.7K, MPAA rating not specified, adolescence, coming-of-age, confusion, sexuality, French Pyrenees, messy love affairs, bullying, illness, soldier, emotions, narrative turbulence, melodrama, contrivances, foreshadowing, desire, human sexuality, inner lives, beautiful mountain exteriors, metaphor, questionable morals, honest storytelling, beautiful cinematography, subtle direction, featured audience reviews not available, horror movies, MCU movies, Netflix series, renewed and cancelled TV shows 2022, TV premiere dates 2022, worst horror movies of all time, Fandango
Worldwide gross: $2,050,766
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $2,527,566
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,353
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 275,634
US/Canada gross: $52,713
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $64,969
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,723
US/Canada opening weekend: $8,838
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $10,893
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,682
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): 5500000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $6,778,742
Production budget ranking: 1,812
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $3,650,353
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$7,901,529
ROI to date (est.): -76%
ROI ranking: 1,851
Kacey Mottet Klein – Damien Delille
Corentin Fila – Thomas Charpoul
Alexis Loret – Nathan Delille
Jean Fornerod – Jacques Charpoul
Mama Prassinos – Christine Charpoul
Director(s)
André Téchiné
Writer(s)
André Téchiné, Céline Sciamma
Producer(s)
Olivier Delbosc, Marc Missonnier
Film Festivals
Berlin, Cannes
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 10 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (41) | Top Critics (16) | Fresh (39) | Rotten (2)
If you can buy into the premise, good luck to you. I didn’t.
December 1, 2016 | Rating: 1/5
Scott Marks
San Diego Reader
TOP CRITIC
The screenplay is marred by clumsy foreshadowing and other contrivances, but Tchin and Sciamma have tapped into something genuine: the deep confusion at the dawn of sexuality.
December 1, 2016
J. R. Jones
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Age in Being 17 comes in awkward bursts, and yet the film moves sublimely. Director Tchin, 73 years old, is wise beyond his years.
November 18, 2016 | Rating: 3.5/4
Brad Wheeler
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
These are characters Xavier Dolan could have a field day with – just imagine the high-pitched screaming matches bouncing off the surrounding mountain landscape. But Being 17 is quieter and sturdier than that.
November 16, 2016 | Rating: 4/5
Radheyan Simonpillai
NOW Toronto
TOP CRITIC
What elevates the film is not just its beautiful setting in the French Pyrenees but also how the beautiful mountain exteriors serve as a metaphor for characters’ inner lives.
November 10, 2016 | Rating: 2.5/4
Alan Zilberman
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Few filmmakers have portrayed the messy reality of human desire and sexuality as consistently, as elegantly, and as powerfully as Andr Tchin.
November 9, 2016 | Rating: 3.5/4
Tirdad Derakhshani
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
Being 17 is that most marvelous of finds, an instant classic on the subject French filmmakers have traditionally excelled at: truly messy love affairs.
June 9, 2020
David Lamble
Bay Area Reporter
Though it eventually turns to a more customary realm than initially promised, there’s a refreshing verve and chemistry between its key players.
October 2, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/5
Nicholas Bell
IONCINEMA.com
The film directed by André Téchiné also does a masterful job of capturing the confusion of adolescence and the general inability to put feelings into words at that age
September 15, 2019 | Rating: 4.5/5
Alexander Ryll
Gay Essential
Instead of three acts, Téchiné divides the story into three trimesters, and while the artificial constructs only pile on from there, very little about the film feels false.
April 1, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/5
Daniel Barnes
Dare Daniel
Being 17 is not easy, but I look forward to Being 18 all the same to see where these guys end up.
February 8, 2019
Michael McNeely
The Hindu Business Line
Being 17 is a thoughtful coming-of-age story with great performances, honest storytelling, beautiful cinematography and subtle direction that is sure to delight; if you can overlook its questionable morals.
November 3, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Harris Dang
The AU Review…
Plot
Generally absent French army rescue helicopter pilot Nathan Delille’s teen son Damien Delille is the model student in his Alpine village school. He takes self-defense lessons from veteran neighbor Paolo, needed as non-provoking victim of class bully Thomas Chardoul, doting adopted son of petty cattle farmers Jacques and Christine Chardoul. Unaware and questioning that Damien is the innocent party when the principal, who guessed right, thus punishes both as fighters, his mother, local Dr. Marianne Delille, takes Thomas in after diagnosing his mother pregnant. The boys are forced to play friends, fight in secret, yet bond over confidences as closet gay Damien’s grades slip due to a crush on Tom, who takes over a class champion thanks to home tutoring. They are separated as their now irrelevant fights come out, yet reunite intimately after a family tragedy.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Being 17 features Sandrine Kiberlain, who won the César Award for Best Actress for her role in the film.
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