Rodéo

RODEO plunges into the motorcycle scene on the outskirts of Bordeaux, where Julia refuses to behave as the men around her expect. Young, tough and quick to fight back, she enters a world of illegal races, stolen bikes and restless loyalty. From the start, RODEO feels less like a conventional sports movie than a portrait of a fierce outsider trying to claim her place. Julia's talent and defiance attract a local gang led by Domino, who is currently in prison but still guides the group from afar. He makes her his protégé as the bikers plan bolder thefts, and the balance shifts when Julia befriends Domino's wife Ophélie. What begins as fascination with speed and status gradually turns into a tense struggle over trust, power and belonging, with every alliance carrying a cost. The film's emotional core lies in Julia's coming-of-age, shaped by a macho environment that treats women as intruders. RODEO gives that pressure a physical form: arguments become blows, and movement on the road becomes a way to resist being boxed in. This debut feature by Lola Quivoron clearly comes from close observation of the subculture it portrays, and its mostly nonprofessional cast helps the world feel immediate and credible.