JOURNAL DE MA TETE/DIARY OF MY MIND (SHOCK WAVES)

Switzerland, 2018, 70 minutes, Colour.
Fanny Ardant, Kacey Mottet Klein.
Directed by Ursula Meier.

This short film is a contribution to a program called Shock Waves.

The Swiss setting is very attractive, mountainous background, while the action takes place in the town, in a home, at school, in court and in a prison.

The film opens with a young man sitting naked at a desk writing. He is Benjamin, played by Kacey Mottet Klein. He dresses, puts the material which she has been writing in an envelope, goes on his motorbike to post it, then, with a gun, goes to a police station. He appears very odd, there is a struggle and he is handcuffed.

It emerges that he has killed his parents.

The manuscript was posted to his French language school teacher, played by very dignified Fanny Ardant. In the manuscript, he explains all that he is done and his motivations. This is disturbing for the teacher, making her wonder how her classes have contributed to his mentality and to his disastrous actions.

The teacher is summonsed, has to appear before the judges to give some explanation. However, Benjamin’s defence lawyer is hostile to the teacher especially after a visit from a number of the students with the teacher. The students are extraordinarily supportive and wanting to help Benjamin in prison and with his studies and to complete his exams. He tells the teacher that they are not to return.

The question is about his mentality, mentally disturbed, or responsible.

He receives a rather lighter sentence and has permission to have visits outside. His uncle is unwilling to have him. It falls them to the teacher to take him for the outing, bringing him into her home, setting him up in a room, sympathetic but advising him to keep his distance. He visits his parents’ grave.

This continues for several years until his final release when, again, it is over to the teacher to help him. She sets him up in his own house. We can’t guess what kind of future he will have. But the past has a disturbing effect on the teacher, her quitting her job, her asking herself what contribution she made to the young man’s behaviour.

1. Part of a series of films with the title: Shock Waves? The brevity of this contribution?

2. The Swiss setting, the town, the countryside, school, homes, the court, prison? The musical score?

3. The introduction to Benjamin, his sitting naked, writing, getting on the bike, posting the manuscript, with the gun, killing his parents, leaving them, going to the police station? The interrogation? His being odd, the struggle? Going to prison?

4. The role of Esther, her age, the teacher, her influence on Benjamin, his writing for her, literature and influence, yet writing being an outlet for his pent-up anger? Her being summonsed? The effect, the defence attorney and the criticism of Esther and telling her not to visit?

5. The visit, Benjamin’s response, the students, their enthusiasm, supporting him, his not wanting them to come again?

6. The sentence, his accepting responsibility?

7. The court, giving him leave for going out for days, his uncle’s visit to Esther, not wanting to support him?

8. Esther, the only one to help him, taking him out, the interactions, in the house, the groom, his visiting his parents’ grave?

9. The years passing, finally getting out? Esther, still supportive, taking him to his new home, settling him in?

10. The effect on Esther and her life?