Blue Is the Warmest Color

This provocative and emotionally intimate drama from France, which chronicles a romance between two young women, won the Palme d'Or at Cannes while its two stars, Adèle Exarchopoulos and Léa Seydoux, shared the Best Actress prize. Then it became the center of a furious critic tug-of-war for months when its male director, Abdellatif Kechiche, was accused of exploiting the actresses in a sexually graphic lovemaking scene. Unfortunately, this brouhaha overshadowed the real subject of the film: first love, overpowering desire, the excitement of discovering yourself, and the fear of what others may think of you. Adèle (Exarchopoulos) is an unfulfilled young woman until she meets Emma (Seydoux), an artist whose self-confidence is as attractive as her physical beauty. But while Emma embraces her sexual identity publically, Adèle hides their true relationship from her friends and family. A compassionate and intense film about love, desire, commitment, and fear—especially Adèle's reluctance to embrace her true nature before the world—this is highly recommended for more adventurous collections. (S. Axmaker)