Peppermint Soda/Diabolo Menthe

The Man in the Moon was a limited release, but I'm sure that most of those lucky enough to have seen it in cinemas/VHS/YouTube/DVD have loved it, as attested by this lively messageboard. I watched it a couple of days ago on Polish TV, and immediately after the screening I thought I would share a film recommendation with fellow IMDb users. It's a French production from 1977 called Diabolo Menthe (or Peppermint Soda in English). Just as The Man in the Moon, it tells a coming-of-age story of two adolescent sisters. The only major difference is that Diabolo Menthe has a small political backstory, being set in 1960s Paris with its social turmoil and student protests. It is always in the background though - what really matters is the exquisite portrayal of how teenage girls grow, learn about life, deal with its disappointments and how they affect their sibling relationship.

The acting is right on the money, just as in The Man in the Moon, and I loved the soundtrack, although it would be good to know French to understand the theme song. The lead actress, Eléonore Klarwein, was just 14 when the film was released, similar to Reese Witherspoon, and she looked even more charming: http://media.lostmoviesarchive.com/cache/type2/070112020447_smppe92try.jpg

I was mesmerised by this film and could go on praising it for a long time. It has long been one of my very favourites, and it would be great if I could convince at least a couple of you to give it a try. Trust me, you won't regret it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peppermint_Soda
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075939/