Slalom

Released Apr 9, 2021

1 hr. 32 min.

Drama

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100%

62 Reviews

Tomatometer

59%

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Audience Score

This riveting, Cannes-selected #MeToo drama from debut filmmaker Charlène Favier follows the relationship between a teenage ski prodigy and her predatory instructor, played by frequent Dardenne brothers collaborator Jérémie Renier. In a breakthrough role, Noée Abita plays 15-year-old Lyz, a high school student in the French Alps who has been accepted to an elite ski club known for producing some of the country's top professional athletes. Taking a chance on his new recruit, ex-champion turned coach Fred decides to mold Lyz into his shining star despite her lack of experience. Under his influence, she will have to endure more than the physical and emotional pressure of the training. Will Lyz's determination help her escape Fred's exploitative grip?

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Critics Consensus

Led by Noée Abita's outstanding central performance, Slalom offers a moving account of oppression and abuse in the guise of mentorship.

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Audience Member

Watched on the movie channel. Be warned this movie enacts statutory rape. The acting was decent but the plot and ending definitely could have been better. The whole time I was waiting for her to tell the trainer that she was pregnant with his baby and she was going to keep it. That would have made the ending better as she walked away because that would have been the end of his career.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

Full Review

Judy K

Very arty, long shots of the girl's unhappy face, and from the start it was obvious this was going to be about sexual abuse. Seemed almost like it was going to be soft porn. I stopped watching after about half an hour, because it was so obvious what was going to happen, and the long "atmospheric" shots of the girl staring into space seemed artificial and self indulgent.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/11/22

Full Review

hugo m

Uncomfortable watch, I struggled to process the movie as it happened. The ending doesn't let you feel like you have a resolution. But maybe everything is the feeling the story teller wants to leave you with, then it is a masterpiece.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

nefasto r

Powerful performance, and intimate coming-ofage / abouse-in-sport film. Also predictable and not too exciting.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

brent m

When a high-strung, emotionally abusive trainer inappropriately seduces a 15-year-old skiing prodigy, the aim of grooming an aspiring champion becomes unexpectedly complicated for the young athlete as she struggles to sort out her feelings and priorities. As a vehicle for addressing an important social issue (especially in the sports world), "Slalom" hits all the right notes (albeit somewhat predictably at times), and it conveys its message in a release with fine acting, excellent skiing footage and beautiful cinematography of the French Alps. However, the film begins running out of steam (and direction) in the final act, with "nuance" being euphemistically passed off as a lack of defined focus. Director Charlene Favier shows much promise as an emerging filmmaker in this debut narrative feature, though, based on this work, it's apparent some refinement is in order for future projects.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Revisits the real-life situation of male coaches grooming underage femal athletes within an alpine skiing framework; Abita and Renier are top notch

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

Full Review

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Charlène Favier

Director

Noée Abita

Lyz Lopez

Jérémie Renier

Fred

Marie Denarnaud

Lilou

Muriel Combeau

Catherine

Maïra Schmitt

Justine

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Slalom: Trailer 1

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Kate Stables

Sight & Sound

Bringing the wave of #MeToo revelations across from the media to the mountains, this strikingly subjective tale of a French high-performance skier abused by her coach bites like a chill wind in Courchevel.

Dec 5, 2021

Full Review

Tara Brady

Irish Times

It's effective drama but extremely difficult viewing, especially for viewers in a country that has been rocked by decades of sexual abuse scandals.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 2, 2021

Full Review

Randy Myers

San Jose Mercury News

It's tough stuff, but worth it.

Rated: 3/4

Apr 15, 2021

Full Review

Serena Seghedoni

Loud and Clear Reviews

Both incredibly affecting and surprisingly intimate, Slalom is a striking, remarkable drama, and an impressive debut from a director to keep an eye on.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 26, 2023

Full Review

Mitchell Beaupre

Awards Radar

While her film is rooted in its characters, Slalom also goes the extra mile in using the elements and techniques specific to cinema to make this an all-encompassing experience.

Rated: 3.5/4

Sep 22, 2022

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

With a bracing and unflinching honesty, Favier details the vile, calculated sexual exploitation and abuse of a teen skiing prodigy by her much older adult trainer.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 17, 2022

Full Review

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Synopsis

This riveting, Cannes-selected #MeToo drama from debut filmmaker Charlène Favier follows the relationship between a teenage ski prodigy and her predatory instructor, played by frequent Dardenne brothers collaborator Jérémie Renier. In a breakthrough role, Noée Abita plays 15-year-old Lyz, a high school student in the French Alps who has been accepted to an elite ski club known for producing some of the country's top professional athletes. Taking a chance on his new recruit, ex-champion turned coach Fred decides to mold Lyz into his shining star despite her lack of experience. Under his influence, she will have to endure more than the physical and emotional pressure of the training. Will Lyz's determination help her escape Fred's exploitative grip?

Director: Charlène Favier
Screenwriter: Charlène Favier, Marie Talon
Distributor: Kino Lorber
Production Co: Panache Productions, Mille et Une Productions, Jour2Fête , Auvergne Rhône-Alpes Cinéma, Charlie Bus Production
Genre: Drama
Original Language: French (France)
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 9, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 8, 2021
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.1K
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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