Mitia Capellier-Audat

Already an accomplished cinematographer, the young French director Marine Atlan recently burst onto the international film scene at this year’s New York Film Festival with her debut feature, the highly acclaimed La Gradiva. Focusing on a group of late teens on a school trip to the ruins of Pompeii, Atlan’s film ebbs and flows with the rhythms of its young subjects, eventually building into a surprising moment of tragedy. Closely attuned to schoolteacher Mme Mercier (Antonia Buresi)’s struggles as a well-meaning educator, Atlan taps into some ancient truths while observing her youthful, energetic leads. It’s admirable for a first-time director to follow her gut so confidently, and La Gradiva will surely have audiences discussing the film—not unlike its spirited subjects—for some time to come.