Frameline50: Skiff

Malou is an androgynous teen living in a small town who excels at rowing and is especially close to her older brother, Max. She wears his hand-me-downs, is saving up to buy a motorbike like his, and generally idolizes him. All seems well until Malou develops a crush on Max’s new girlfriend, Nouria, who is new in town and exploring her own desires. What begins as a budding friendship between the two girls turns into a secret romance that disrupts Malou’s routines and strains familial bonds. Their relationship deeply invigorates Malou but also stirs up unspoken feelings of gender dysphoria while Nouria struggles with the weight of betraying Max.

Directed by Cecilia Verheyden, Skiff confidently explores the cycle of competition and solidarity between siblings with subtle yet striking imagery. The whimsy of the water and cool color palette envelop us in Malou’s journey of introspection and change. Femke Vanhove and Lina Miftah’s performances beautifully portray the intensity of first love and heartbreak in this striking coming-of-age film.