MISS MONTIGNY

Belgium, 2005, 100 minutes, Colour.
Sophie Quinton, Ariane Ascaride, Johan Leysen.
Directed by Miel van Hoogenbemt.

Miss Montigny is a Belgian slice of life. It is set in the industrial area of Belgium called the Black Country because of the mines which were flourishing in previous decades but are now closed. Prospects for life in the town seem to be very drab.

Sandrine is a nineteen-year-old who works in a supermarket, getting people to sample cheese. At home she is pressurised by her ambitious mother. Her mother had previously been in the Miss Montigny contest and now wants her daughter to succeed. While Sandrine allows herself to be pressurised, she really does not want to enter the competition but would prefer to set up a beauty parlour with a friend. Meanwhile, her boyfriend has moved to Brussels.

The film is a character study and benefits by the persuasive performance of Sophie Quinton. She had appeared to great effect in the Dardennes Brothers’ film The Child. Her mother is played by veteran actress Ariane Ascaride, wife of director Robert Guedigian in whose films she appears.

The film becomes very serious when the mother and daughter clash, when a friend backs out of the beauty shop plan because of pregnancy, when she is excluded from the competition because of her inabilities.

The film ends with a climax at the beauty pageant, supported by the mayor, a festive occasion – and her estranged father joins her mother in the hall. However, there is a surprise turn of events – and ultimately Sandrine makes the option to move away from the town and go to join her boyfriend in Brussels.

The Belgian film industry made a number of films in this vein, especially the films of the Dardennes brothers. While this sometimes has a lighter touch than their films, it is still a critique as well as a slice of life highlighting grim aspects of Belgian society and prospects for the future.

1. A slice of life? Belgian life? Dreams and reality?

2. The Montigny setting, an industrial city, mines closed? The shops, beauty parlour? The effect of the closures, the dinginess of the town? The hall for the pageant?

3. The title, the competition? Sandrine and the quest, her not wanting to participate, being forced to go in? The other girls? The end, her withdrawing, getting her freedom by withdrawing even though she had many votes?

4. Sandrine in herself, her age? Work at the supermarket, giving out the cheese samples, her dress? At home, the beauty parlour, her skills? Gianna and her friendship, partnership for the shop, looking at the site? Her hopes? Her mother and her help, the down-payment on equipment? The difficulties, the mother helping out, hoping the contest would give the money?

5. The contest, the announcements by car in the streets? Sandrine’s mother and her hopes, building up the contest, the compere – and the singing of “Pretty Woman”? The role of the mayor?

6. Sandrine and Paul, their relationship, his having to move to Brussels, inviting her to go with him, her staying at home? Gianna, her love for Dimitri, her becoming pregnant, the plans for the wedding? Amina and her brothers, the pressures, a woman going in a contest? The bashing? The other contestants?

7. Sandrine’s parents, at home, her father, quiet, his leaving, living with someone else, Sandrine going to see him at work, the plea to come home, his return, especially for the contest?

8. Sandrine’s mother, her life, disappointments, hard work? The character detail in building up her mother? The contest, the practices? Her clashes with her husband? The down-payment on the equipment? Sandrine not telling her that she had withdrawn? The dress, the sash?

9. The practices, Sandrine and the measurement, her being out of the contest, the operation on her bust? Her not telling her mother, the mother finding out, going round and getting Sandrine reinstated?

10. Sandrine and the detail of her daily life, day by day, the loss of friendship with Gianna, talking with Amina? Watching Dimitri? Her needs, identity, the fight with her mother? Her anger?

11. The contest, her participation, the others and their performance, her singing the song and its impact? The hoopla of the results? The mayor? Her not winning, her parents’ disappointment, the story of her pulling out, her parents having to accept it?

12. Her mother’s reaction, upset, having to let her daughter go?

13. Sandrine going, to live with Paul, going to Brussels, finding freedom and herself? What future?