Prench Art Film

Canterlot High's annual student film festival is fast approaching, and the submissions are now under review. But ultimate writer-director-star-girlfriend team Lyra and Bon-Bon are confident they've made something spectacular. It's innovative, it's bold, it's experimental, it's inspired, it's confident, it's... rejected???

Okay, maybe it was a little too out there for the festival... and perhaps a bit too risqué as well. But they can still salvage this. Right?

Written for Bicyclette's LyraBon contest. (Read the other entries here!) Ties in with the Bean’s Writing Group prompt “A Chess Game.”

Pre-read by The Sleepless Beholder and Shirlendra. Cover art by me using stock images.

Sex tag for mild sexual references only.

Featured on 9/29/22-9/30/22! Also recommended by Equestria Daily for Lyra and Bon-Bon Day!

Chapters (1)

Comments ( 17 )

Viewing 1 - 50 of 17
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Admiral Biscuit

Admiral Biscuit #1 · Sep 29th, 2022 · 6 · 1 ·

Lyra recalled that her fathers had been among those parents, despite her clarifications.

Delightfully subtle.

This is a good story! Totally something I could see them doing, too.

FanOfMostEverything

FanOfMostEverything #2 · Sep 29th, 2022 · 2 · ·

There’s a few other notes I could give, but given everyone around me now seems to be looking rather annoyed in my direction, I believe I’ll yield the floor.”

No one likes a nitpicker, Micro Chips.

But, well… a lot of parents weren’t so understanding. What they were hearing was that the… thing that attacked the school was now getting to attend classes there. And a lot of them were angry.

After Sunset, I'm not sure whether I'd expect more or fewer parents to be upset by Twilight's enrollment.

Lovely bit of fluff, leavened by some fascinating meditation on the nature of art. And how useful it can be as a smokescreen for what you actually had in mind. Let's just hope none of the local festival judges can actually speak Prench... Thank you for it, and best of luck in the judging.

peanutcream

peanutcream #3 · Sep 29th, 2022 · · ·

*shrugs*
At least they're eighteen.

shallow15

shallow15 #4 · Sep 29th, 2022 · 1 · ·

This was a great story. Next up, Lyra and Bon Bon decide to channel Stanley Kubrick with their own version if Eyes Wide Shut.

Also, obligatory:

TCC56

TCC56 #5 · Sep 29th, 2022 · 10 · ·

Ah, the Art of the Bullshit. A critical life skill. Well learned, you two hooligans.

Bloody_Tofu

Bloody_Tofu #6 · Sep 30th, 2022 · · ·

Heh. Thank you for this.

Mystic Sunrise

Mystic Sunrise #7 · Sep 30th, 2022 · · ·

11378693
If the truth that she was bullied and blackmailed into doing what she did was known, it might have helped. Some parents wouldn't care no matter what though.

The Fan Without a Face

The Fan Without a Face #8 · Sep 30th, 2022 · · ·

Honestly don't know what to make of this story. i can sort of believe Lyra and Bon Bon might make some kind of film like this, though personally I'm honestly surprised they thought they'd get it through.

Though wait did they mean ANY of that artsy nonsense they were spouting or did the just make a 7 minute chess movie to see if they could get away with the whole being naked thing, while also possibly using the situation as some kind of weird exhibitionist kink?

Dan

Dan #9 · Sep 30th, 2022 · · ·

Fillyfoolish

Fillyfoolish #10 · Sep 30th, 2022 · · ·

Gay ♟️

_Undefined_

_Undefined_ #11 · Oct 1st, 2022 · 3 · ·

This story accurately reflects my opinion of scholarly film theory. Or do I just think that because I'm applying my own biases to the text? Argh, no -- I'm getting sucked in!

Good job pulling one over on your peers, Bon Bon and Lyra.

Alternate title: The Teens' Gambit

Eroraf86

Eroraf86 #12 · Oct 6th, 2022 · · ·

Saw the unofficial prequel in my feed and just had to read this first. Not sure what I expected, but I really enjoyed it. [Insert obligatory joke about a banana taped to a wall.]

11378693
Darn it, now you've got me wondering what they actually said. Aaand there goes my mind, straight to the nearest gutter. Stupid internet...

Bicyclette

Bicyclette #13 · Oct 10th, 2022 · · ·

"This Chapter is Cinema" – Maretin Scorcalabrese

the awful double pun ponified name is a great start!

All they normally do in this club is set up equipment and press buttons, Lyra mused. What do they even know about actual cinema, anyway?

so true it is all too rare to find those who truly appreciate high art

“Well,” Flash replied. “We’d like to hear some thoughts from you, to begin with. It’d be nice to hear your personal perspective on, uh, Reines de L'échiquier.”

already love the film based on just the title

Now it was Lyra’s turn to start tugging on Bon-Bon’s wrist. “Bonnieeeee…” she whispered as thoughts raced through her head. Don’t apologize for the movie, Bonnie! It’s not our fault they’re wimps who couldn’t handle it!

can’t have a LyraBon without the Lyra saying “Bonnieeeeeee” with a dragging whine

“I’ll admit that a movie that’s entirely focused on two people sitting quietly and playing chess indoors may not be the most exciting film to feature.” She paused. “Especially when they don’t talk. And all their thoughts are presented in Prench.”

love it even more

What were they expecting? Some Canter Zoom blockbuster? Lyra sulked internally, putting a concerted amount of effort into maintaining a neutral expression.

so true the masses love their genre films

Pinkie Pie broke the stillness in the air by loudly whispering in Twilight’s direction. “Is she talking about how they were both naked in the movie?”

and what’s wrong with that? it is very normal in pony culture!

“To us,” she went on, “the movie is about love, and how, like chess, love is a game of visible moves controlled by invisible thoughts and impulses. You, um, make each move, knowing a certain number of outcomes are possible, and, in order to make the right moves, you have to know who you’re playing the game with. How… how they’ll react. And there’s so much exposure involved in that, so, um, we thought that having ourselves visually exposed in that, well, way would help convey that.”

so true, no further questions from me

“Wait, though,” Flash cut in. “This is about chess, though. And chess is a game of war; you win by defeating your adversary. So how do you apply that to love?”

ugh what a basic take on the meaning of chess! disappointed in Flash

“I guess I can’t really argue about the metaphorical implications you described just now, but I did want to note a few things I observed. At one point, I couldn’t help but notice Lyra’s remaining knight had moved a space to the left between shots, which shouldn’t be possible in one move. Now, maybe this was meant to be symbolic of the confusion of love in some way, but to me it seemed more like a technical error.”

neeeeeerd

“I also noticed at least one instance where there’s a small shift in Bon-Bon’s hairstyle between shots, which then changes back in the next. It’s a subtle error, but one that didn’t seem like an intentional choice. There’s a few other notes I could give, but given everyone around me now seems to be looking rather annoyed in my direction, I believe I’ll yield the floor.”

considering this is a showcase of films made by high school students, if this is the most prominent editing error then Lyra and Bon Bon did an amazing job!

Bon-Bon spoke up. “We get it, Twilight. It’s nudity. Even if there’s nothing in it that would get an adult rating, it still wouldn’t sound good at all if the school is showing underage kids a movie with two naked girls.”

yes that would be very bad!

Lyra recalled that her fathers had been among those parents, despite her clarifications.

nice (though i can’t imagine Lyra not referring to them as her “dads”)

(or, in one particular curly-haired case, being tackle-hugged by)

oh i wonder who this could be referring to

“That’s not what I sounded like! And I meant every word regardless of whether or not I was making it up on the spot! It’s our movie, it can have whatever themes we want!”

so true themes can be determined well after the work is completed

“Point.” Lyra smirked. “If only Micro Chips knew exactly what we were doing between takes that messed your hair up in that one shot…”

lewd!

always love to see a feat of getting one up on people through the power of reading deeper meanings into a work on the spot. thank you for writing!

ScisetShimmerEvan

ScisetShimmerEvan #14 · Oct 23rd, 2022 · · ·

Pinkie Pie broke the stillness in the air by loudly whispering in Twilight’s direction. “Is she talking about how they were both naked in the movie?”

Seriously girls, I mean, SERIOUSLY!!

“Well, I just wanted to say that I thought this movie was great! I thought it was so cool the way you both really put yourselves out there and found a weird but cool way to do a love metaphor, which is a really tired concept most of the time but watching it in this movie it was really awesome and felt new! All the camera tricks you used are really neat and now I kinda want to see how you made a lot of this stuff! But I guess there’s probably not a lot of behind the scenes footage since you’d be naked in all of it. Oh and speaking of nudity, I know you probably felt nervous talking to us about that, but you shouldn’t, because it totally fit in the movie and the way it tied into all the themes you’ve been talking about was really clever! Anyway you should be really proud!”

How am I not surprised Pinkie would like it.

Lyra recalled that her fathers had been among those parents, despite her clarifications.

Doesn't she mean her parents? Or does Lyra not have a mom/both her parents are guys? I'm very confused here.

“And you’d definitely get picked!” Pinkie interjected, jumping out of her seat again. “They’d have to pick you, because it’s great! And if they don’t, they’ll answer to me ,” she added, her face contorting into a dark glare.

Ok then...