PHOTO DE FAMILLE/ FAMILY PHOTO
France, 2018, 98 minutes, Colour.
Vanessa Paradis, Camille Cottin, Pierre Deladonchamps, Jean-Pierre Bacri, Chantal Lauby, Laurent capelluto, Marc Ruchmann, Claudette Walker, Jean Aviat.
Directed by Cecilia Rouaud.
There are two family photos, one of siblings when they were young and on holidays, the second in their middle age, revisiting their holiday home, wanting a new portrait, but the camera delaying and their being caught in comic mode. So, a light touch. However, the film begins with a funeral of the grandfather and the family gathering. The film ends with the grandmother’s funeral. So the more sombre touch.
There are many generations in the family, starting with the grandfather who is buried at the opening of the film, and the grandmother who is suffering from senility, genial, not recognising people, prone to wandering. We are introduced to the grandmother, not recognising her son, a 60-year-old businessman who is separated from his psychiatrist wife long since, a womaniser in his past, neglecting his children. However, his ex-wife is devoted to her mother-in-law and cares for her. In the next generation are three siblings, Gabrielle, played by Vanessa Paradis, single mother, posing as a statue in the Paris streets for her work, with her teenage son whom she tends but who prefers to live with his absent father; Elsa, played by Camille Cotton, married to Tom, unable to have children, resentful of her mother’s psychiatrist treatment of her in the past, working to rehabilitate young people, angry; Mao, Pierre Deladonchamps, not speaking in his early childhood years, prone to depression, a genius with creating computer games.
The first issue challenging them is whether they will take care of their grandmother, the two women agreeing, some scenes of her presence (and wandering), Mao refusing but, when her son organises her into Aged Care, Mao paying. And the next generation is in Gabrielle’s son, angry with his grandparents, clashing with his mother. Mao has no children. Elsa cannot have children. And this causes alienation from her loving husband, Tom.
Which means there are some happy family sequences. There are many family disputes. There are some ironic sequences, especially as Mao goes for therapy with the psychologist, Elsa trying to break through with her mother. Gabrielle gets a job and selling the phone in the computer games factory but is inept, attracted towards Mao’s associate, Stephane, but cautious about the relationship.
As with this kind of film, through many domestic scenes, some meals, some frank talk, some attempts at reconciliation, and a more positive ending with the father admitting his inadequacies, comforted by his new younger partner being pregnant, mother and children with some understanding – and, with the death of the grandmother (and Claudette Walker is very attractive in this role), the siblings decide to return to where they were very happy in childhood, their holiday home, to take the family photo.
The film has a very feminine sensibility with the writer-director, Cecilia Rouud.
1. Family story, the range of generations, relationships, good and bad, harm, possibilities for reconciliation, the future?
2. The title, the photo of the siblings when young, the final photo and its hope?
3. French sensibilities, the writer-director and her female perspective? The importance of the focus on the women? The lesser focus on the men?
4. Paris settings, homes, schools, outings, workplaces, offices, Gabrielle and her statue, Elsa and her work for rehabilitation? Aged care homes? The musical score?
5. The introduction to Pierre, age, separated from his wife, his younger partner, her pregnancy, getting the meals for his mother? The funeral, her husband, and not knowing where she was, who her son was, genial, her comments, everybody caring for her? Her being brought by Claudine, Claudine bonding with her despite the separation from Pierre? The gathering afterwards, Mao and his seeming disregard, Elsa and her concern, Gabrielle and her son?
6. The grandmother, her not being with it, yet a certain charm? The family discussion about her care, Gabrielle willing to take her? Mao refusing? The various episodes with her in the house, Gabrielle and her son, her moving to Elsa, Tom and the difficulties with her, the discovery that Mao was paying for aged care? Pierre, his decisions, going to the aged care home, his reactions, the interviews, his demands? Her moving in, the visits, her wandering, the police bringing her home, at the railway station to buy the ticket? Her fall, hospital, the visits, Pierre and her lunch, urging her on? The issue of going to St Julien and the memories of the past? Her death, and the sadness of her funeral?
7. Pierre, his reputation long marriage, womanising, not caring for his children, his partnership with the young woman, her pregnancy, the interactions with his former wife? The different encounters with his children? Gabrielle asking him to talk with her son about his living with his father? His visits to his mother? The decision about Aged Care?
8. Claudine, psychiatrist, seeing her with clients, her listening to her children, Elsa and her harsh reaction, Mao and his not talking when he was young, the effect of his mother? Her intervening? The dinner with the leaks and Elsa meeting the client with the leaks? Her thinking that Elsa was pregnant and visiting her?
9. Gabrielle, her job standing as the statue, bringing up her son, his absent father, the son wanting to live with his father, the tensions at home, her care for him, at school, at home, helping her father clear out his house, taking in her grandmother, getting the job with the office, not answering the phone, her attitude towards Stephane, the kiss, the consequences, keeping her distance, the visit and meeting his brother and their comments? Drinking? Her allowing her son to go to his father? Shaking hands? The later hug? The son, his age, the experience of Gabriel’s mothering, his father, the audience never seeing him? His visiting his grandmother? Pierre and Mao both talking with him?
10. Elsa, angry, love for her husband, yet the tension, the issue of pregnancy, inability to have children, the consequences? Her work with the young men to be rehabilitated, digging, her harshness with them? Taking in her grandmother, Tom and his reaction, Tom eventually leaving despite loving her? Her interactions with Gabrielle? With Mao? The alienation from her father? Her mother thinking her pregnant and bringing the gift? Visiting her mother, the resentments, her mother acting as psychiatrist with her? Visiting her grandmother in hospital?
11. Mao, his story, not talking when he was young, the change, the holidays, love for his sisters, the photo? Growing up, depressed, reserved, yet his success with computer games, with Stephane, going to the psychiatrist, his sessions and revelations? Paying for his grandmother in aged care? Contemplating suicide? His walk along the river, falling down by accident, there all night, Stephane coming, then refusing to help, getting his sisters, Elsa and the young men drifting him out?
12. The death of the grandmother, the three siblings and their interactions, the reconciliations of the funeral, the decision to go to St Julien, changing the clothes, the toys, the past, the attempts at the photo, the comic touch with the final photo?
13. Possibilities for reconciliation, a better future?
