--- title: "La Gradiva: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/la-gradiva/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/la-gradiva" critics_score: 85 critics_reviews: 11 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # La Gradiva (2026): what the critics said Critics' score 85 from 11 reviews: 11 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. The reviews agree that Marine Atlan’s debut offers a perceptive, affecting account of adolescence, with praise clustering around its young ensemble and its sensitivity to feelings the characters cannot fully explain. Critics repeatedly commend the naturalistic performances, observant direction and attention to teenage uncertainty. IndieWire singles out Colas Quignard’s quiet body language as Toni, while The Guardian highlights Antonia Buresi’s sympathetic portrayal of an overwhelmed teacher and the subtlety of the classroom scenes. The detailed imagery also draws praise, alongside the connections between adolescent anxieties and the history of Naples and Pompeii. The differences concern the strength of the enthusiasm rather than basic approval: all eleven reviews are positive. Reservations are scarce in the supplied accounts, though Eye for Film finds the symbolism occasionally emphatic despite admiring the grainy imagery and sensitivity to adolescent shame. The consensus is clear, but the most enthusiastic notices go considerably further in their praise than the more measured responses. ## IndieWire — Marya E. Gates Rating A. 21 May 2026. Festival review. Gates finds the film wholly transporting, praising its empathetic, layered portrayal of teenagers and their inner lives. She especially singles out Colas Quignard’s performance, whose quiet body language makes Toni’s heartbreak deeply affecting. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/la-gradiva-review-marine-atlan-1235195477/) ## The New Yorker — Justin Chang Fi1m's normalised score 95/100 (inferred from the text). 26 May 2026. Festival review. Chang calls La Gradiva an exceptional debut and one of the year’s great discoveries. He particularly praises Marine Atlan’s lively, perceptive filmmaking and the film’s vividly drawn young characters. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-current-cinema/the-kids-are-not-all-right-at-cannes) ## Variety — Jessica Kiang Fi1m's normalised score 95/100 (inferred from the text). 14 September 2026. Festival review. Kiang praises the film as a deeply moving, perceptive portrait of adolescence and calls it an extraordinary debut. She singles out its vivid ensemble and Atlan’s compassionate attention to the characters’ partial understanding of one another. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2026/film/reviews/la-gradiva-review-1236842930/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Jordan Mintzer Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 21 May 2026. Festival review. Mintzer calls the film a stunning debut and says it announces a formidable new talent. He particularly praises the candid performances and Atlan’s fluid, observant portrayal of teenage moods and turmoil. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/la-gradiva-review-marine-atlan-1236603252/) ## Slant Magazine — William Repass Rating 3.5/4. 11 September 2026. Festival review. The review finds the film’s coming-of-age story unusually resonant and thoughtful. It praises how Atlan connects the teenagers’ desires and anxieties to the deep history of Naples and Pompeii. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/la-gradiva-review-marine-atlan/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 86/100 (inferred from the text). 16 May 2026. Festival review. Bradshaw praises the film as a beautifully directed, superbly acted coming-of-age story, while noting its increasingly sombre emotional force. He particularly singles out Antonia Buresi’s sympathetic performance as the overwhelmed teacher and the film’s nuanced classroom scenes. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/may/16/la-gradiva-review-stunning-coming-of-age-story-of-young-love-and-sexual-tension) ## Vulture — Fran Hoepfner Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 22 September 2026. Hoepfner finds Atlan’s debut a finely observed portrait of youthful folly meeting ancient permanence. The critic especially praises the film’s lush cinematography and detailed images. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/la-gradiva-french-teens-reckon-with-pompeii.html) ## Film Comment — Beatrice Loayza Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). Festival review. The piece presents La Gradiva positively as a sensitive, surprising exploration of adolescence and grief. It singles out the film’s handling of those themes, alongside Sandra Wollner’s Everytime. [Read the review](https://www.filmcomment.com/article/on-the-threshold-la-gradiva-everytime/) ## Screen Daily — Amber Wilkinson Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 16 May 2026. Festival review. The headline presents the film as an observant and effective debut. It singles out Atlan’s capture of volatile youths on an Italian school trip. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/festivals/la-gradiva-review-observant-french-debut-captures-volatile-youths-on-an-italian-school-trip/5216626.article) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 95/100 (inferred from the text). 22 May 2026. The critic calls the film a magnificent, moving achievement that captures the upheaval of growing up. They especially praise its stunning visuals and naturalistic performances. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/reviews/la-gradiva-review-cannes/) ## Eye for Film — Edin Custo Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 10 July 2026. The review finds the film a luminous, affecting coming-of-age story, though its symbolism can feel emphatic. It praises Atlan’s sensitivity to adolescent shame and the film’s grainy, tactile imagery. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/la-gradiva-2026-film-review-by-edin-custo) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/la-gradiva.md