‘French Girls is not about girls from France. 

‘French Girls’ is the debut feature of writer-director Hyun Lee. Motivated by the lack of nuance and care in stories set in the fashion industry (I’m looking at you DWP2), she set out to make a film that pulls back the curtain on a world perceived as inaccessible to 99% of the population. 

The film follows Mia, a Sydney twenty-something who spends her days breaking bricks at construction sites and lazing around her run-down digs. After being discovered by a model agent, Mia is led down a serpentine path through Sydney’s fashion world. Guided by Hyun’s deft touch, ‘French Girls’ effortlessly blends together genres of slacker comedy, crime thriller, and slice–of-life drama. While the film itself saunters between characters and stories, its broader messages concerning capitalism and obsolescence carry an urgency that’s all too relevant for anyone enduring the chaos of the 2020’s.    

We chatted with Lee before the film’s premiere at this year’s Sydney Film Festival.

Hi Hyun! Congratulations on the SFF premiere of ‘French Girls’. How does it feel to have successfully taken over the festival, securing a fourth screening? 

Thank you! Not sure we’ve “taken over” anything but 4 screenings feels great! 

For complete transparency, we discussed the process of making ‘French Girls’ on a microbudget last year while catching up in a park (shout outs to Grace Tan). Dove deep into the pros and challenges that came with it. What freedoms did this approach allow you? Do you feel like you were adequately prepared for how massive an undertaking it would be?

We shot on weekends stretched out over a year and that was super helpful because you have more time to plan and digest and debrief after every shoot day, which is great when it’s your first feature, which is what it was for many of us in the crew. I was definitely naively optimistic about how quickly we’d make the film, and even though I was generous with the timeframe, it took almost four years, not two, to finish. A feature is definitely a massive undertaking but I think it’s good to break it down into manageable pieces so it doesn’t get overwhelming. I say this a lot but it’s really true, making a feature is just like making four long short films, one after another. 

The main cast consists largely of non actors, including model Mia Kidis in the titular role. To me, it imbued the film with a sense of grit and realism. Was it always your intention to stray from actor-y actors? 

Yeah, it was intentional from the beginning to have a nearly documentary feel to the film because I get really annoyed when I see the fashion world in movies or TV and it just feels so fake and stupid most of the time. I also get annoyed when I see any movie and all the roles are played by actors who are obviously actors and everyone’s way too good looking. It’s distracting and I want more normal looking people as actors! I actually once went through all the actors on a bunch of agency websites and the only times I found “normal” looking actors, they had famous parents! We need more normal faces on screen! Not just nepo baby normal faces! Having said all that, Mia is a non-actor but she definitely isn’t a “normal face”, she’s a star through and through. 

Outside of filmmaking, you have also worked on commercial and grassroots projects in and around the fashion industry. What draws you to that world? Do you feel like there are any misconceptions about fashion you’re aiming to dispel in your work?

I think most narratives around the fashion world are repetitive and boring and reinforce this idea that the industry is full of bitchy drama queens and models are stupid and narcissistic – or they’re helpless victims of abuse. I’m sure that exists out there but it’s not at all my experience of the fashion world. It’s a multi billion dollar industry which employs millions of people who are mostly normal people just doing their jobs. And everyone wears clothes, it’s a universal part of life. I’m not trying to push a didactic message onto the audience, just trying to show another perspective that is maybe more nuanced and grounded in a lived-in reality. 

Over the last few years, It feels like there’s an exciting lineup of Australian and filmmakers producing and releasing films. What excites you about our local film scene? 

It feels like more people are just going out there and making stuff! When we were filming ‘French Girls’, we pulled many favours and borrowed a ton of gear from all sorts of people and places. Lately I’ve been on the other end, doing favours or lending my gear to others so they can go out and make their movies. Sometimes I don’t even see the finished product but that’s okay, I think what matters is the energy of everyone moving together and making stuff, it feels very healthy!

Thanks to Lee for taking the time to chat with us. Tickets to ‘French Girls’ is moving quick. At the time of publishing, the only available tickets left are on Saturday (13th) and Sunday the (14th). You can purchase tickets here.