Innocence

Innocence

Year: 2005

Runtime: 122 min

Language: French

Director: Lucile Hadzihalilovic

DramaMystery

At a remote boarding school for girls, a strange and ancient tradition welcomes each new class: the students arrive seemingly emerging from coffins. Guided by captivating instructors, they participate in unusual rituals, including enchanting forest dances. As they journey through this unique environment, the young women uncover profound and mystical secrets that challenge their perceptions and permanently alter their understanding of innocence.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Innocence (2005)

Trace every key event in Innocence (2005) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Iris arrives and is welcomed by the sisters

The six-year-old Iris is found inside a coffin in the dormitory's common area, then dressed in a uniform and introduced to the other girls who will be her housemates. They assign her a red ribbon and explain the social rules of the school.

Opening sequence Dormitory, school
2

Ribbons chosen; Iris becomes red ribbon; Bianca mentors

Iris is given the red ribbon, marking her as the youngest; Bianca, the violet ribbon, begins guiding her as a protective elder. The others react with jealousy or curiosity.

Early days Dormitory / Ribbon exchange area
3

Homesickness and rule about boys

Iris longs for her brother, but Bianca explains there are no boys allowed in the school. This harsh rule begins shaping Iris's understanding of the place.

Soon after arrival School campus
4

Swim in the lake; Iris befriends Laura

The girls swim in the lake, and Iris forms an early friendship with Laura, the red ribbon of another house. This moment offers a glimmer of companionship within the strict environment.

Early days Lake
5

Bianca's secret errand; Iris investigates

That night Bianca leaves on a mysterious errand she cannot discuss. Iris, driven by curiosity, follows but loses track when she reaches the main building.

Nighttime Main building / night
6

Iris witnesses a shadowy injection; escapes

While exploring, Iris encounters a shadowy man preparing an injection for a shadowy woman. Fearing danger, she flees and becomes lost in the woods for the night.

Night Main building / woods
7

Selma's attack and Iris's wound

After some time, Selma befriends Iris only to attack her, beating her with a switch and tasting her blood by touching her wound. The incident reveals the brutal undercurrents among the students.

Subsequent nights School corridors
8

Laura's escape attempt and death

Laura steals a rowboat to escape the school, but the boat leaks and the weather turns foul, leading to her drowning. Iris informs Bianca of the tragedy, and the school holds a funeral for Laura with her coffin burned on a pyre.

Late part Lake and funeral pyre
9

Alice's turn and the winter inspection

The focus shifts to Alice, the ten-year-old blue ribbon, who longs to leave, hoping to win the school's annual blue-ribbon inspection. The headmistress arrives to select one girl to depart with her, testing the class's resolve.

Winter Classrooms / blue ribbons area
10

Alice is not chosen; disappearance

Alice is not selected to leave; she collapses, becomes mute, and eventually escapes into the surrounding woods, leading to rumors of gunshots and barking dogs as she disappears. Edith later tells Eva that Alice cannot be found and will not be seen again, implying the worst.

After inspection Woods near the school
11

Bianca and Nadja uncover a secret world

Sensing the coming change in the violet ribbons, Bianca takes Nadja on a nighttime trip to the main building behind a grandfather clock. There they put on butterfly costumes and perform for a mysterious unseen audience.

Nighttime Main building behind grandfather clock; secret passage
12

A rose and a glove; the secret audience reacts

After a second show, a man in the audience calls Bianca beautiful and tosses her a rose; she keeps the rose and a theater glove as treasures before tossing both into the lake.

Night Theater and lake
13

Bianca departs; violet ribbons leave

In the morning, Iris and the others spend time with Bianca as she bids farewell, passes her duties to Nadja, and boards a subway train with the other violet ribbons, leaving the school behind. Eva smokes a cigarette as they depart.

Next day / morning Hallway to subway
14

New life outside; plaza and fountains

The train arrives at a grand plaza where Eva and Edith lead the girls away; Bianca and the remaining violet-ribbon girls play in the fountains, catching sight of a teenage boy who fascinates them. The scene hints at a life beyond the school.

Post-departure Grand plaza / Fountain area
15

Ending image: rushing water

The film ends with another shot of rushing water, echoing the opening sequence and suggesting cycles of longing and escape. The viewer is left with a sense of perpetual movement beyond the school.

Ending Fountain area

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:57

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Innocence Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Innocence

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