for its high simplicity. and for the special story. because , in 15 minutes, a long confession about youth, meetings, summer, significance of a beach day , importance of a summer dress are presented. in Ozon manner, off course. but the film seems be complete, each detail solid and clear and pure, the dialogues - as frame of events. a film about youth, joy and coming out. its seductive eroticism. its chaste love scenes. its profound, delicate and subtle message about the importance of small, ordinary things. a young man on a bike to beach. and the revelation of the return. an incident. and a gift. all in precise manner presented by a director who, with a not comfortable humor, gives new senses to well known facts.it is not fair to define it as a gay movie. maybe, only, as inspired portrait of discoveries of a special age.

Every other review here has been written by non-French. So I make the difference, which makes sense as well. This short film is not the expression of what is going on in France or in French sexuality. Only some very small Parisian bi-sexual circles will recognize themselves, and yet even they will not like the film. Why? Because it is bloody badly acted! You, other reviewers, who do not speak French, may be charmed, but to my ears, it all sounds massively false. I guarantee you: no-one talks like that, no-one acts like that. So what is the thing about this film, and how on earth did Ozon manage to raise the funds to make it? Surely, because in the French film world, no single person would like to be considered as being "frustrated", so they all have to pretend that the subject is worthwhile financing. Well, it wasn't...

I'm just starting to explore the so far wonderful world of monsieur Ozon. I've seen only 4 films so far, and with the last one in the row it hit me that all of them were in fact about lonely women and their actions. Not a single non-lonely female character out of 12, and all of them bring heavy impact of surroundings.This film is probably the only one (out of four) where this impact is for good.The gay theme is an almost standard part of background for Ozon's films, so it doesn't grab the accent (although the looks of the characters might). Watch for the feelings, not for their objects.Very nice and fleeting, truly like a summer romance, and while being a relaxation to thought and mind, it gives some food for the soul.

There's not a dull moment in Francois Ozon's "Robe d'Ete". It's surprising how much is packed into this short film. While reclining on a deserted beach after a nude swim, a young gay is approached by a girl seeking a light for her cigarette. She invites him to make love in a wooded area near the beach. On returning to the beach. they find that all his clothes have been stolen. She lends him a summer dress to cover his nakedness and requests he return it next day. He rides his bike back to the holiday cabin dressed as a girl. His gay companion is sexually excited. Early next morning the young man returns to the sea and bids farewell to the girl whose holiday has ended. She suggests he keep the dress as a memento of their summer romance. It's a light-hearted film that captures the spirit of summer holidays by the sea, but perhaps not for those who are embarrassed by nudity or homosexual themes.