Puppylove

The events occur in a modern-day setting, rooted in everyday life within a European community. The narrative relies on familiar spaces—home, school, and social scenes—to chart a young girl’s sexual awakening and the complexities of adult behavior. The tone is immediacy-driven, focusing on present-day concerns and relationships.

The story unfolds across a close-knit European neighborhood, moving between the family home, neighbors' houses, and shared social spaces. It shifts from quiet interiors to social venues like parties and clubs, highlighting how private life collides with public moments. The locations serve as intimate stages for exploring adolescence, sexuality, and family tensions.

🌱 Coming of age

Diane’s sexual curiosity and search for autonomy drive the core of the story. The narrative follows her attempts to understand desire, boundaries, and identity as she navigates intimate encounters and peer influence. The film juxtaposes a fragile, hopeful longing with the messy realities of growing up. It invites reflection on how adolescence shapes self-perception and future choices.

🎭 Consent and boundaries

The film foregrounds questions of consent, power, and personal limits as Diane experiments with relationships. Scenes reveal how boundaries are negotiated, ignored, or misread by peers and adults alike. The portrayal refuses simple answers, highlighting discomfort, miscommunication, and the consequences of problematic behavior. Viewers are invited to consider how consent is learned and enforced in real life.

🧭 Family dynamics

Christian’s behavior exposes tensions between parental permissiveness and responsibility. Diane’s perception of safety and trust at home is tested by her father’s actions and the presence of adults who blur ethical lines. The narrative uses family scenes to examine how adult choices ripple through a child’s life. It questions whether love and care can coexist with morally risky behavior.

🌀 Sexual politics

Power, gender, and agency intersect as Julia, Antoine, and Paul influence Diane’s experiences. The film interrogates how attraction and social dynamics shape decisions, sometimes blurring lines between friendship and manipulation. It challenges traditional gender roles and the gaze of older partners. The result is a layered look at how sexuality operates within peer groups and families.