Describing a complex situation for a teacher and a student, the film “No Waves” sparked significant reactions on social networks before its cinema release this Wednesday, March 27.
Several films promise to be talked about in cinema releases on March 27, 2024. Among them, we include No waves, a production by Teddy Lussi-Modeste which tells the ordeal into which a middle school teacher is plunged, wrongly accused of harassment towards one of his students. If the film sets out to dissect the descent into hell of this character abandoned by the institution, which is inspired by an experience of the director (accused of sexual harassment by a student, he was exonerated), it has not also caused controversy on social networks even before its arrival in theaters.
When the trailer for No waves, several Internet users were offended by these first images. Many have accused the film of denigrating the words of victims of harassment: “Tell me that you live in a patriarchal society where women are seen as liars and in which men are ‘always right’, without telling me that you live in a patriarchal society: the next film with François Civil”, wrote one of them on [François Civil] clearly shows which side he is on.”
oh the quagmire the only way to make up for this BA is if the student didn’t lie and François Civil’s character ends up in jail otherwise you can keep him. https://t.co/V3LxMcTHxf
— lele (@lele_xoo) February 14, 2024
But obviously, the point of the feature film is more nuanced than that. As the magazine explains First in his review, “Lussi-Modeste signs a fascinating film of nuances and complexity”: “More than the truth about what really happened, No waves emphasizes the notion of perception of things. It shows, for example, how the young Leslie really believed in this harassment because by wanting too much to be close to her students and cool, her teacher (François Civil, remarkable) created – unintentionally – competition between them and the feeling of ‘leaving some when he prefers others.’
On the set of C to you this Monday, March 26, the filmmaker explains that his approach is part of the description of a complex situation: “We understand very well that this young girl could have believed that this professor wanted to seduce her. It was important for me not to treat her as a liar but as someone who has her truth.” It’s up to spectators to form their own opinion in theaters.
Synopsis – A young college professor must face disturbing rumors when some students wrongly suspect him of harassment.