Foreign Language

It’s too early to tell, but I fear Foreign Language might mark a paradigm shift for queer European coming-of-age films. In the 2010’s such films featured a young queer person engaging privately in a relationship with someone of the same gender. The rest of the world fell away and these young queers simply got to exist. The world is never allowed to fall away in Foreign Language. Instead, the youthful queers are perpetually thinking and engaging with major political issues. The brief period of time where at least in fiction, you could hide away from the troubles of the world in the arms of a pretty girl might be coming to an end. In its place is Foreign Language, where even in the arms of a pretty girl, the rise of far-right extremism and environmental collapse loom ever-present in the mind.

Bullied at school, Fanny arrives on an exchange trip to Germany to stay with Lena. Despite some frosty beginnings, the two develop a close friendship. Lena is particularly politically aware. One of the things that draws them together is the revelation that Fanny has a sister in a radical leftist group in France. Following the conclusion of Fanny’s visit to Germany, it’s Lena’s turn. She comes to stay with Fanny’s family in France. This means that in addition to developing their close relationship, the two girls begin an involved search for Fanny’s radical sister.

The political backdrop of Europe at large is ever-present in Foreign Language. Yet overall, it’s not really the focus. It’s a backdrop. But it’s one that is perpetual and seeps into this story about two girls overcoming language barriers to find connection. It’s present because Fanny has an Arab father. Because Lena’s grandfather is racist. It’s present when Lena sleeps and dreams of the two of them at protests, freely romantic yet being dragged off by anti-riot squads. The events of the story don’t deal with Fanny and Lena being directly politically involved all that much. It’s more a looming certainty that their lives will feature political violence and protests. And all of this is without much support from their parents’ generation.

But hey, the rise of the far-right doesn’t mean you still can’t have the occasional bisexual makeout at a party while on magic mushrooms. The general experiences of youth still exist here. Fanny’s still bullied at school and has developed a problematic coping mechanism. Both girls still feel the general angst of parents who aren’t capable or willing to engage with them the way they want to. Quite a lot of this film is scenes if the inherent discomfort of someone else’s parents having a fight or yelling at their child in front of a guest. Maybe we can pause saving the environment for a minute and deal with that issue first. Because the second-hand awkwardness I felt seeing Lena’s mother yell at her ex in front of Fanny is major and pressing.

Foreign Language’s third act reveal is also a welcome addition to the story. It complicates things, drives the plot forward and adds yet another wrinkle to these girls’ lives. It’s great that they’ve found a romance between them. But that romance doesn’t really solve anything. Fanny’s problems are going to endure past the credits to this film. As are Lena’s. Finding love doesn’t fix anything. But it can inspire change and give you a reason to endure or fight back.

Just one film like this and I do long for the comparatively non-political queer coming-of-age films from ten years ago. I grew to find them boring because they often lacked strong conflict. Foreign Language showed me what a privilege a boring film like that was. I do not envy the youth of today. We have made progress in certain areas, especially queer acceptance. But to exist as a young person in a time of such political uncertainty and with such technology that means you’re always plugged in sounds like a nightmare. You can try kissing a girl about it. It won’t solve far-right extremism. But hey, if that was going to happen regardless, then what do you have to lose? Go be gay about it.

Overall rating: 7.7/10

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