Displaying items by tag: Pierre Lotton

QUAND VIENT L’AUTOMNE/ WHEN FALL IS COMING

France, 2024, 104 minutes, Colour.

Helene Vincent, Josiane Balasko, Ludivine Sagnier, Pierre Lotton, Garlan Erlos, Sophie Guillemin, Malik Zidi.

Directed by François Ozon.

French director, François Ozon, has been making films since the late 1990s, 27 feature films, almost one a year, and quite a number of short films. His films range from serious dramas to light comedies and all stops in between. He is a director certainly worth following.

And, here we have one of his very fine films. Its star is veteran French actress, Helene Vincent, who turned 80 during this film’s production playing Michelle. She is supported by two very respected actresses, Josiane Balasko who plays her good friend, and Ludivine Sagnier, who plays her daughter.

We are in a French village. Michelle lives in retirement, tending her garden, upset at her daughter’s alienation from her, but eager to see her young grandson. Marie-Claude has been a friend for decades, but is concerned by her son about to get out of prison. So, a setting for family conflicts and drama.

There is an interesting beginning for those interested in religious themes. Michelle goes to Mass. The local parish priest comes from Africa. He gives  a homily focusing on the Gospel of the woman who is the sinner, who anoints Jesus’ feet. The theme of the priest is that the woman is beloved and forgiven. This theme will come rather unexpectedly into focus as the drama develops.

Valerie, Michelle’s daughter, comes to visit with her son and her mother, who goes foraging in the forest with Marie Claude, picks mushrooms and prepares a dinner for her daughter – her daughter becoming sick, the rush to hospital, aspects of poisoned mushrooms, the recovery but further questions of intention and of resentment. (And, with 2023 events in Victoria and a court case on mushroom poisoning, Australian audiences at the film’s release would be alert to this issue.)

The audience will tend to be on Michelle’s side against her angry daughter and have some sympathy for Marie Claude as her son gets out of prison and decides to open up a bar.

The film takes an emotional turn as, later, we discover more and more about Michelle and her past life, Marie Claude and her work with Michelle, moral issues, moral challenges, sympathy, issues of rush to judgement, and a reminder of the initial Gospel message, especially in the context of the funeral for Marie Claude.

The village setting is beautiful, the surrounding woods for foraging, the gardens, and the autumnal colours.

In many of François Ozon’s films, there is a strong sense of humanity, goodness and evil, the need for sympathy, understanding and reconciliation, theme is very much to the fore here.

1. The theme of autumn? The season, its colours, moving towards winter? Foraging, moving towards death?
2. The setting, the village, homes, garden, prison, the club, the visits to Paris, apartments? Atmosphere? But the sequences in the autumn, the falling leaves, the autumn colours…? The musical score?
3. Audience response to Michelle, her age, living alone, her garden, the phone call from her daughter, the visit with her son, the tension between mother and daughter, the abrupt behaviour of the daughter, on her phone, the divorce and her husband, the situation for the boy, the meal, the mushrooms, the sequence The tone of the opening, Michelle going to Mass, the African priest, the Gospel about the prostitute in the city and Jesus’ response? Michelle going to Communion? Audience surprise when eventually learning that she had been a prostitute? And Marie-Claude? The relevance of the Gospel? The funeral, the prostitute is coming, the kind words of the priest, God not judging but wanting salvation? The perspective for the whole film?
4. Marie Claude and Michelle foraging for the mushrooms? The book, the choices, possible poisons?
5. Valerie, her character, attitudes, resentment towards her mother, the eventual revelation of why? Wanting money, wanting the house, owning the apartment in Paris? Her collapse, hospital, further resentment towards her mother, leaving with Lucas? Michelle’s disappointment at his going?
6. Marie Claude, the strong friendship, the outings, the discussions, her continued smoking, going to visit her son, prison, Michelle driving her? His coming out, her attitude, her hopes? His future, wanting the bar? Michelle lending him the money? Him the job, his work in the garden, tidy? His concerned Michelle, going to visit Valerie, on the CCB, the discussions, her death? His telling his mother, not telling Michelle?
7. The news of Valerie’s death, the discussions with her husband, Michelle going to the apartment, the discussions with the police, the policewoman’s pregnancy? Her later coming, her suspicions, checking with Michelle, with Lucas, Michelle offering the alibi, Lukas denying knowing the same? The final decision of the policewoman?
8. The happy scenes, Michelle, with Lucas, going to school, his being bullied, Vincent and his picking up Lucas, the threats to the boys? The friendship with Lucas, the bonding between the two, the walks in the woods? Lucas and the possibility of joining his father?
9. The bar, its opening, the crowds, Marie Claude watching, Lukas watching, Michelle, her dancing, vigorous? Hopes?
10. Marie Claude, her illness, hospital, her confiding in Michelle? Audience knowing their lives, prostitutes, Michelle’s explanation, to Lucas, Valerie’s reaction? Marie Claude’s death? The funeral, Lukas persuading Vincent to come in? The words of the priest?

11. The final sequence, Lukas coming back from university, history of art studies, Vincent’s reaction, the bonding between them, going for the walk, Michelle and her continual visions of Valerie, the visit to the grave, in the woods, the deer, her collapse and death?