Bye! (2006)

Directed by: Simone van Dusseldorp | 40 minutes | short film | Actors: Frederique van den Biggelaar, Marsha van Sandvoort, Roeland Fernhout, Niels Jochems, Marcel Musters, Marike Ketelaars

Simone van Dusseldorp previously made the reasonably successful full-length feature ‘Deep’, which is also about the budding sexuality of a young girl. That Van Dusseldorp is very touched by this is apparent from both films. She therefore finds puberty “one of the most important and most difficult periods in a person’s life”, so film worthy. Puberty is, of course, a wonderful excuse to create taciturn and insecure characters. Characters who make strange choices, can’t control their emotions and lash out at their loved ones. In other words, perfect movie characters.

A good part of the film revolves around creating an atmosphere. Cloudy skies, a muddy landscape, a chip shop on an otherwise deserted square, boys with scooters and girls giggling. Everything smacks of puberty in the province. Of course the story takes place in Stampersgat: there are not many names that cover the load in that way. The accent of the characters is refreshing: you don’t hear much of Noord-Brabant in film land, and a fake accent is even more terrible. No, the actors and actresses actually come from the area and don’t have to feign anything (in terms of accent). Also original is the hobby of the two friends: cycling. In this way it becomes a kind of road movie in a way, because of course it is also about a girl’s inner journey through puberty.

The raw reality is both the strength and the major flaw of the film. The extreme close-ups, especially of the main character Sabrina, force the viewer to be alert and also empathy, but at the same time they are uncomfortably close and confrontational. The same goes for the long shots of the young, still immature bodies of the two friends. This unpleasant feeling resurfaces again and again, including during Sabrina’s sex scene with a much older Polish construction worker. Like looking at your little sister.

The two girls act very strongly as pubescent and insecure friends, who feel the pressure on their shoulders to do something with their suddenly changing desires. The minimalistic dialogues have a positive influence on this. It’s a strong film, but the still happy ending can’t change much about the unpleasant aftertaste that lingers for a long time.