Naked Hearts (1966)

Naked Hearts (French: Les Cœurs verts) is a 1966 French drama film directed by Édouard Luntz. It was entered into the 16th Berlin International Film Festival.

The film tells the story of a group of young people from Nanterre, a suburb to the west of Paris. The main characters, Zim and Jean-Pierre, are part of a gang of greasers (referred to in French as blousons noirs), and meet in prison at the beginning of the film. The narrative traces their efforts to negotiate the dynamics of the group, find a job, and stay out of trouble (both are on provisional release after their initial brush with the law).

Naked Hearts is unusual for its period in its use of non-professional actors and for its mix of narrative and documentary elements. The group of young men at the center of the film is composed of residents of Nanterre, and Luntz purportedly worked closely with them in writing the story. Segments of voiceover appear at several points in the film, apparently recorded conversations with young people from the area.

Synopsis

À Nanterre, une bande de jeunes blousons noirs désœuvrés et incompris de la société comme il faut, petits larcins, drague, jeux encore enfantins. fuite devant la police. Deux destins parallèles, Zim et Jean-Pierre, à leur sortie de prison, ils retrouvent leur famille et la bande. Ils tentent de se reconstruire une vie « normale » avec plus ou moins de réussite.

Actors