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The Freshmen

Name: The Freshmen
Director: Thomas Lilti
Released: 2018
Duration: 92 min

Representation Score

7.5/10

Good

2018

Director

Thomas Lilti

Runtime

92 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The film presents a grounded, realistic portrayal of the medical profession by reflecting contemporary societal demographics. It successfully challenges traditional gender roles, showcasing women as intellectually equal peers in a competitive environment. The diverse casting offers a pluralistic view of modern European institutions. However, the film lacks depth in representing multiple aspects of identity. It misses opportunities to explore queer identities or central disability narratives, focusing instead on the psychological impact of professional training. The social context remains largely in the background, emphasizing academic realism. Ultimately, the film avoids a monolithic narrative by presenting a nuanced, multifaceted professional class, even if it adheres to a secular and traditional institutional framework.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Freshmen have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film focuses on academic and professional challenges without exploring LGBTQ+ identities. There are no central characters with non-straight or non-cisgender identities.

How does The Freshmen portray gender?

Fair

Women play significant roles in high-stakes medical scenarios. They are shown as intellectually competent and equal to their male counterparts, avoiding traditional stereotypes of passive femininity.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Freshmen?

Good

The student body reflects a diverse French population. This avoids a uniform white depiction, providing a realistic view of modern European educational settings.

How does The Freshmen represent religion and culture?

Fair

The story emphasizes a secular, professional perspective over religious frameworks. It highlights the dehumanizing aspects of modern medical training and its systemic pressures.

Does The Freshmen include disability representation?

Fair

The narrative does not prominently feature characters with disabilities. Mental health issues such as exhaustion are discussed, but are framed as occupational stress.

Present on Screen

Challenges traditional gender roles by portraying women who play a significant role in driving the story and professional competence.
Reflects a realistic, multicultural French population within a high-status professional setting.
Offers an authentic, non-performative look at the systemic pressures of medical institutions.

Limited or Absent

Lacks explicit LGBTQ+ character arcs or central explorations of queer identity.
Does not feature prominent characters with disabilities or neurodivergent perspectives.
Prioritizes a secular, professionalist worldview over diverse religious or cultural frameworks.

Official Synopsis

Antoine is about to start his first year of medical school… for the third time. Benjamin, just out of high school, will make his first try. He soon realizes it's not exactly a walk in the park. In a fiercely competitive environment, with nights dedicated to hard studying rather than hard partying, the two freshmen will have to adapt and find a middle ground between despair for the present and hope for the future.

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