LE CLAN
France, 2004, 90 minutes, Colour.
Nicolas Cazale, Stephane Rideau, Thomas Dumerchez, Salim Kechiouche, Bruno Lochet.
Directed by Gael Morel.
Audiences will probably have many diverse and mixed feelings during this 90 minute film.
Le Clan could be the family of the three brothers and their widowed father whose story, during different seasons of the year, the film tells. The clan, more probably, is the clique of idle young men who ‘hang out’ together, often bored, using drugs, sex and a kind of camaraderie to keep them going.
By the end of the film, we realise what a ‘womanless’ word we have been in – the wife of one of the brothers appears about 10 minutes before the end, otherwise you are hard put to glimpse anyone female. The director says that he did this with purpose. The original screenplay was peopled with women but he eliminated them to portray a male world of clash and interdependence.
The first story is that of 22 year old Marc, unemployed, dealing in drugs, homosexual, erratically moody, especially with his father. His closest bond is with his pet dog – which leads to violence. This part of the film, with its focus on the young men, could be described as ‘homoerotic’. The second story is that of the older brother, Christophe, who comes out of gaol. While the narrative about the family continues, the focus is more on ‘social realism’ with Christophe making a success of his work at a ham salting plant. Christophe’s purposefulness contrasts with Marc’s nihilistic stances. The third story is that of the 17 year old Olivier who pines for his mother, is reserved and often awkward. The transition to his dance and sporting activity, his coming out and relationship with his friend, Hicham, come very suddenly, making us wonder whether we really noticed him or understood him. The suddenness of Hicham’s narration towards the end is brief and puzzling. The brevity of this story means that we don’t get much of an opportunity to realise how Olivier ticks. It also makes us realise that we probably were offered substantial portraits of Marc and Christophe.
Set in the beauty of the lake country around Annecy, Le Clan can be a challenging glimpse of the aimlessness of today’s young men.
1.The title, the family, the clan? The men? The definition of a clan? Clannishness?
2.The Annecy locations, the town itself, the rough areas, the highways, the bikes, the lake? Beauty? Country work? The environment? Realism?
3.The score for each of the sons?
4.The structure of the film, in itself, the links, the seasons?
5.The town, the photography of the town, pace and editing, the world of the boys, work, adolescence? A man’s world? The absence of women?
6.The portrait of Marc, a troubled young man, the deals, the drugs, revenge? The initial impression, the tone of the film, his age, appearance, the bikers and the drugs, the men and the camaraderie, the gym? The passing of the seasons, the homoerotic atmosphere, sexual relationships, the video, the transvestite? Christophe and his being in prison, Olivier and his prayers? The ashes? Work, the father and his harshness, the meals? Television, the angers, payment and the drugs, the dog and the bond, killing the dog, the effect, the car crash? Destruction and death wish?
7.Christophe, released from jail, getting a job, the temptations in order to keep it? The change, hard work, at home, changing in himself, his relationship with his brothers, the difficulties in relationships, avenging Marc, the care of Olivier, the father and the factory, the workers, the discussion, the bosses, going out, promotion, success, girlfriend, family?
8.Olivier, young, relationship with Marc, the prayer, the ashes? Shy? The gym, overshadowed, his story, his change? The swimming? Relationship with Hicham, sex and activity, the letters to Hicham, the future?
9.The brothers and their friends, seen as a group, the world of the gymnasium, sexual issues?
10.Hicham and Marc, the Arabs, gay, the help, the drugs? Relationship with Olivier?
11.The portrait of the father, hard? The mother and the memories?
12.A womanless world, its effect? The nature of maleness – without women? This kind of male clannishness? The 21st century, men, their lives, lack of work, idle, drugs, macho stances? Insight into France of the 21st century?
