LIE WITH ME/ ARRETE AVEC TES MENSONGES

France, 2022, 97 minutes, Colour.

Guillaume de Tonquedec, Victor Belmondo, Guilaine Londez, Jeremy Gillet, Julien de Saint Jean.

Directed by Olivier Peyon.

Remembrance of Marcel Proust pervaded the watching of this very personal drama, themes of time lost, time remembered, in search of times past, time regained. And, on checking on the Wikipedia entry for the novelist, Philippe Besson, it revealed that he had, indeed, included Proust himself as a character in one of his novels. And the themes of homosexual orientation. The novel and the film are autobiographical.

This is a fine film, a subtle drama with a screenplay that draws the audience in, a story of the present but many flashbacks, memories of 1984, each era continually throwing light on understanding of the two central characters, the past Eliminating the present, the present offering more explanations of the past.

The film opens with the 42-year-old novelist, Stephane Bellcourt, driving to the town where he grew up but had left 35 years earlier. Cognac is the main product of the region and the town is celebrating its bicentenary of production. Stephane has been a prolific novelist, two novels a year, but a recent dry patch, but writing a short story about his town, and the consequent invitation. Stephane is played quietly and effectively by Guillaume de Tonquedec (who more than resembles the novelist in appearance). Stephane is hosted by the local Gaelle, organising his program for the celebrations, book signing, interviews, bicentenary dinner speech. She is played quite strikingly by Guillaine Londez.

As he returns to the town, Stephane begins to remember, age 17, final year at school, quiet, bespectacled, gazing at fellow student, Thomas, who responds but is strongly determined that nobody know about the relationship. They meet in secret – some frank sexual scenes – at the swimming pool, at the lake, then in Stephane’s room at home. These flashbacks are spaced right throughout the running time of this film, culminating in Thomas being photographed by camera enthusiast, Stephane, and then going to Spain to work on his uncle’s farm. Never returning. Stephane then left the town to pursue his writing career.

But, the main drama in the present is complex. Stephane encounters Thomas’s son, Lucas, whom he didn’t know existed. Lucas is eager to meet Stephane and, gradually, the audience learns why, Lucas’ life with his father, sad, tragic, – and Stephane not knowing it. And so, the Proustian titles, time lost, time remembered…

The performances are most persuasive, Victor Belmondo (grandson of Jean-Paul) is Lucas. Jeremy Gillet and Julien de Saint Jean are effective as the younger Stephane and Thomas, and the audience always tantalised by looking at Stephane in the present and trying to connect have the young 17-year-old became this man, and tantalised by the sad knowledge of what happened to Thomas.

The English title is too clever with its pun indicating sexual nuance. But, it is not clever enough in actually translating and communicating the tone of the French title, translated “Stop with your lies” which Stephane reveals is a comment that his mother used to make about his stories, making them up in observing people around him, the equivalent of lies. Ultimately, this is a drama about facing the truth, telling oneself the truth, admitting the truth to others

1. The original title, Stephane’s mother’s comment, lies and creating stories? The play on words with the English title, the sexual connotation, but not translating from the tone of the original French?
2. The setting, the small town, 1984, 35 years later, the production of cognac, the processes and storage, celebrating the bicentenary? The past, school, swimming pool, the lake, the farm, Stephane’s room? The musical score, songs of the time? 30 years later, hotels, government, the dinner, revisiting the past locations? The musical score?
3. The introduction to Stephane, in the car, driving to the town, after 35 years? Age 42, serious, novelist, two novels are year, the dry period, homosexual, relationships and failures, the short story about Cognac? The introduction to Thomas, on the bike, 35 years earlier?
4. The structure of the screenplay, based on the novel, Stephane based on the life of the novelist? The framework of 35 years later, 21^st-century, the older perspective on the town and characters, the inserts of memory, the flashbacks, 1984? The gradual awareness by the audience of each of the characters, the past eliminating what was happening in the present, the present throwing light on the past? Nuances and subtleties?
5. 1984, 17-year-olds, the sexual attraction, Stephane and his shyness, looking at Thomas, Thomas giving him the note, going to the pool, the sexual encounter? Thomas wanting it kept secret? Thomas and his relationship with the other students? The effect on Stephane, smiling, not worried about the secrecy, the encounter in the toilet, the note, going to the lake, the swimming, sex, exhilaration? Thomas coming to Stephane’s room, the contrast with music, style, dancing, Stephane’s mother coming home but going to rest, their not being discovered? The bond between the two, Stephane and love, Thomas and love, not admitting it, Stephane wanting him to say it? The graduation, the lake, the photos? Thomas leaving for Spain, never coming back? Stephane leaving? The cumulative effect of the past and the present and the audience understanding the characters?
6. The present, Stephane, 42, 35 years away, his career, living in America, the invitation to come back for the bicentenary, his delay in accepting, break-ups, dry patch, writing the story? The welcome to the town, the character of Gaelle, organising, promotion, her vitality, looking after Stephane, some of the difficulties, his absences, clashing with Lucas, the late-night eating, conversation, eventually telling her the truth? His going to the bookshop, the book signing, meeting Lucas? The reception, going to see Lucas, the confrontation with him? Going to the cemetery, the visit to the grandmother, his speech for the bicentenary, talking about himself, frankly, the truth? (And Lucas saying he would probably right about this also?)
7. Lucas, with the American group, in the town, leaving, living in America, with the tours and promotion, his shepherding the group, relationship with them, the tour of the cellars and the barrels, inviting Stephane, Stephane not drinking? His indication that he did not know much about Stephane? At the book signing, the later talks, the confrontation? Stephane discovering that Lucas had initiated the invitation, that he had read everything? The film’s gradual revelation of Thomas and the story of his going to Spain, the marriage, compelled, the birth of Lucas, returning to the village, his wife not wanting to stay and leaving, his departure? Lucas trying to understand, the revelation that his father was lively and smiling only when Stephane was on the television? Lucas challenging his father? Sorting out his study, and the letter from 1984 for Stephane, the explanations? And the tragedy of Thomas, the unhappy life, the shame, sexual orientation, hanging himself?
8. The atmosphere of the town, the celebration, pride in the cognac, 200 years, the authorities, the welcome, the comment about gay authors and caution, the celebration, the meal, Stephane late, his speech?
9. Stephane, the admission of the truth to Lucas, first love, main love, disappointment with Thomas’s disappearance, sending the photo, Lucas finding the photo and giving it back, the sadness, the cemetery, the light touch in meeting Lucas’s grandmother, the welcome, the touch of reality and humanity?
10. The farewell, Lucas and the group, the invitation in America, Stephane and the invitation to Paris, the embrace?
11. Time lost, time remembered, regrets, tragedy, resolution?