The debut feature of writer-director Hyun Lee is a slightly scrappy drama set in Sydney’s modelling scene, reportedly made on a $28,000 budget and informed by Lee’s own experiences. Executive produced by Nash Edgerton, who appears in a small role towards the end, French Girls has nary a trace of the glitz, glam and artifice synonymous with the trade; it’s a low-fi and aesthetically austere work, with a messy, rough-edged kind of visual lyricism and a suite of naturalistic performances.
The pared-back nature of the experience extends to its messaging, or lack thereof: this is not a film that views modelling through a probing intellectual framework, or offers much in the way of commentary. Lee has spoken about how she did not seek to “critique models, the fashion industry or even capitalism” and approached the film “as if it were a nature documentary”. That fly-on-the-wall attitude imbues French Girls with extra realism, helping distinguish it from more conventional productions while also creating a sense of emotional detachment.
