That is the astonishingly bizarre opening sequence of this surreal tale from the wife of "Irreversible" director, Gaspar Noé, Lucile Hadzihalilovic.

As a huge fan of Noé's 2003 masterpiece, I was intrigued by this effort.  One can see the influence of Noe's style, pace and tone here.

"Innocence" treads on delicate subject matter and visuals.  I strongly warn against most conservative eyes watching this film.  Many would not be able to handle the taboo nature of the images in this film without either guilt, shame or even anger.  Some of you will know what I mean when I say that "Innocence" is a very European film... a very French film.

The film takes place in a mysterious forest, home to a boarding school for young girls.  There are dozens of students and apparently only a couple of teachers... all female.  The girls alternate their time between ballet classes, regular school classes and playtime.  Always dressed in white, the girls' ages are signified by the color of the ribbon in their hair.  The girls may not leave.  Any attempt to do so will result in them never being able to leave, staying on as servants to future girls.

"Innocence" is the perfect title for this film.  It is about the natural innocence of these children and the loss of it as they grow older.

I am not sure the film is fully successful.  I often felt the desire to check my watch as the film really began to drag in the middle third.  However, I was constantly fascinated by what appeared to be a semi-autobiographical and surreal journey into the consciousness of a young girl.

There are some disturbing scenes, such as when the girls are forced to perform a ballet in front of a dimly lit, seemingly all-male, audience.  There is an awkward moment when one of the hidden men shouts to one of the young girls that she is the prettiest and throws her a red rose.

There is also a very bizarre sequence when a handful of the girls are prodded and poked and examined by a strange older woman who acts like she is trying to choose a dog at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

The final sequence is up for extreme variations of interpretation.  The varied interpretations relate not so much to what occurs, but the mood and judgment of whether it is a happy ending or a bittersweet farewell to childhood.

Those with experimental tastes will appreciate the effort and beauty in this film.  It is crafted with care and a cinematic eye that will linger in the memory.  There are some amazing images and sequences in this film.  You will be hard-pressed to find this film in middle-American DVD stores... It is far too advanced in terms of artistic freedom to be tolerated by many, if not most in that region.  However, if you have experimental tastes and don't have to be force fed all the answers, this may be a film to seek out.