It Felt Like Love 2014

Lila, a fourteen-year-old girl residing in Brooklyn with her widowed father, yearns to emulate her more sexually knowledgeable friend, Chiara. Both girls, enrolled in the same dance class, eagerly anticipate a big performance during their summer preparations. While Chiara has navigated her way through early relationships, having reached third base with her boyfriend Patrick, Lila attempts to project a similar maturity. In truth, her understanding of intimacy stems mostly from her experiences as a third wheel during Chiara and Patrick’s outings, awkwardly observing their public displays of affection.

One fateful day at the beach, Lila locks eyes with the older, rugged Sammy. Upon learning that he is known for his intense escapades, Lila boldly sets her sights on him, frequently visiting the arcade where he works and boasting to her friends about their supposed relationship. Although Sammy perceives Lila as just a kid and shows no genuine interest in her, he refrains from outright rejecting her advances.

In her quest for Sammy’s attention, Lila increasingly exposes herself to alarming situations. She ventures alone to Sammy’s apartment, where he engages with his male friends amid the flickering glow of porn on the TV. As the atmosphere shifts, Sammy’s friends make lascivious jokes about Lila performing explicit acts for the group. Displaying her naivety and eagerness for male validation, Lila laughs along, perhaps not fully grasping the implications of the situation. Following this troubling episode, the film leaves viewers questioning Lila’s experiences, with ambiguity shrouding the reality of whether she engaged in anything sexual that night.

As the narrative unfolds, the film culminates in the performance of Lila and Chiara’s dance team, visually capturing the tumultuous journey of adolescence and the bittersweet complexities of youth.