FRANCIA

Argentina, 2009, 77 minutes, Colour.
Milagros Caetano, Natalia Oreioro, Lautaro Delgado.
Directed by Israel Adrian Caetano.

Francia is a story about a husband and wife, their separation, their love for their daughter – who has some disabilities, facial, psychological.

However, the film is quite complicated in its presentation, shifts of time, making the audience question what is happening and at what particular stage in the break-up between the husband and wife. The husband also has a girlfriend – and is accused of beating her and referred for psychological counselling.

However, the focus of the film is on the twelve-year-old girl, her not being able to relate to other children, difficulties in school, her difficulties in reading and imagination. She loves her mother, who has problems in relationships. She loves her father but is affected by his moods.

The film was directed by Israel Adrian Caetano who made the very effective film of the difficult times of the generals, Chronica de Una Fuga.

1.The impact of the film? An Argentinian family? Dysfunction? The effect on the child?

2.The meaning of the title, the poem and the lyrics? France as a goal, a quest, a land of imagination?

3.The Argentinian setting, the factory, the home, counselling, shops… ordinary life? The musical score? The use of the song, Gloria?

4.The shifting times, the dates and times with the video material? The point of view shifting backwards and forwards? Complicating audience response?

5.The picture of Mariana, her age, her appearance, her eyes? Being picked up from school, her friends? Difficulties at school, behaviour, aggressive? The dancing, her reacting against the teacher playing the flute? The principal? At home, with her mother? Urging reading, imagination? Her wanting to listen to her player? At the movies with her father and his girlfriend? The various glimpses of Mariana in relationship with each of the characters? The difficulties, her love? The videos? Painting the room with her father and the bonding with him? Being with her mother, the meals? The effect of the separation?

6.The father, work in the factory, tired? His love for his daughter? Difficulties with his wife, her attitudes? His beating the girlfriend? Going to the counselling, befriending the counsellor? Going later to the office, finding the counsellor had moved, his document stating that he was healed?

7.The mother, in herself, the flashbacks to the birth of Mariana? The consequences, her not being able to cope? The clashes with her husband?

8.The girlfriend, befriending the husband, the movies, with Mariana? The impact of the beating, his having to go for counselling?

9.The counsellor, his work with the husband, the sessions, his moving away, going to work with the police, his session with the police?

10.The various pieces of the puzzle? Of characters, of plot, of themes? How well did they come together by the end?