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TIFF: Petite Maman

Nelly (Josephine Sanz) is playing in the woods by her grandmother’s house when she meets Marion (Gabrielle Sanz). The two eight year olds are the spitting image of each other and instantly bond spending all their free time together. Nelly is visiting the area as her parents clear out the house after her grandmother passed away. Her despondent mother has mysteriously left, leaving Nelly worried that she won’t come back. Nelly and Marion confide in each other, sharing their fears and sparking each other’s imagination. And as it turns out, they have more in common than meets the eye.

“I was already thinking of you.”

Marion

It’s difficult to talk about Petite Maman without revealing the twist. However, the title itself is the biggest spoiler. Directed by Celine Sciamma, this gentle  drama is as hopeful as it is melancholic. It explores the complexities of relationships  and the fleeting nature of childhood but in a very subtle way.

It’s only 70 minutes long and while that seems short, it’s really the perfect amount of time to tell Nelly and Marion’s story. I like how Sciamma hints at Nelly’s gender expression  with a few of the scenes. This film reminded me of Sciamma’s Tomboy which also focuses on a child on a journey of self-discovery. Petite Maman might not wow audiences like Portrait of a Lady on Fire but it will  tap into some emotions that lie just beneath the surface.

Petite Maman is part of the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival’s Special Presentations slate. 

Posted Film Festivals

TIFF 2021 — My Picks

I’m heading to Toronto for TIFF and am excited to be back! It’ll be a very different kind of festival with lots of digital screenings and plenty of social distancing. I’m limiting in person screenings to two a day to minimize health risks and I’ll come armed with masks and hand sanitizer. This trip is very touch-and-go due to complications with the pandemic so any coverage discussed in this post is not guaranteed.

With that said, here are my picks for the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival. If you want any additional information about the films featured below, visit the official TIFF website for more details!

Julia
dir. Julie Cohen and Betsy West

RBG directors Julie Cohen and Betsy West present a touching portrait of Julia Child, whose cookbooks and TV shows revolutionized American cuisine.

Nostalgia for icons of recent history is a big thing right now with the recent documentary on Bob Ross and the upcoming one on LeVar Burton. Like many I grew up watching Julia Child on PBS so I can’t wait to watch this new doc on her life and career.

Oscar Peterson: Black + White
dir. Harry Avrich

Director Barry Avrich’s affectionate celebration of Canada’s greatest jazz musician situates the master pianist in the genre’s pantheon.

As a jazz enthusiast and a fan of Barry Avrich’s work, this selection was a no brainer. Avrich’s Blurred Lines and Prosecuting Evil are two of my favorite documentaries so I’m excited to see his latest!

Becoming Cousteau
dir. Liz Garbus

Liz Garbus dives into the archives of the undersea explorer who tried decades ago to warn the world about the climate crisis.

As a young environmentalist, Jacques Cousteau was an icon for me and I’m curious to see just how Garbus demonstrates how he tried to warn us about climate change.

Belfast
dir. Kenneth Branagh
starring Caitríona Balfe, Judi Dench, Jamie Dornan, Ciarán Hinds, Colin Morgan, Jude Hill

Judi Dench, Ciarán Hinds, Caitríona Balfe, and Jamie Dornan star in Kenneth Branagh’s coming-of-age tale set amid the tumult of late-1960s Northern Ireland.

There’s a lot of buzz behind Branagh’s star-packed historical drama. I hope it delivers! If not, I’ll be happy to watch Judi Dench in a new film.

Benediction
dir. Terence Davies
starring Jack Lowden, Peter Capaldi, Gemma Jones, Ben Daniels, Kate Phillips, Simon Russell Beale, Jeremy Irvine, Geraldine James

Terence Davies’ latest is an equally sombre and sumptuous portrait of 20th-century English poet and soldier Siegfried Sassoon.

I enjoyed Terence Davies’ A Quiet Passion and am curious about his new historical biopic! 

Last Night in Soho
dir. Egdar Wright
starring Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, Rita Tushingham, Michael Ajao, Synnøve Karlsen, Pauline McLynn, Terence Stamp, Diana Rigg

Edgar Wright wickedly reflects ’60s Swinging London in this kaleidoscopic psycho-thriller about two young artists entwined across time.

This looks like an absolute trip! I love the time travel element and the fact that 1960s stars Diana Rigg, Margaret Nolan and Terence Stamp all make appearances in the film. 

Mothering Sunday 
dir. Eva Husson
starring Odessa Young, Josh O’Connor, Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, Olivia Colman, Colin Firth, Glenda Jackson, Patsy Ferran, Emma D’Arcy

Olivia Colman and Colin Firth star in this deeply affecting adaptation of Graham Swift’s bittersweet novel about secret love in post-WWI England.

You really can’t go wrong with a period piece featuring a great cast. This one is set in post WWI England and may appeal to Downton Abbey fans.

Bergman Island
dir. Mia Hansen-Løve
starring Mia Wasikowska, Tim Roth, Vicky Krieps, Anders Danielsen Lie

A melancholic meditation on love and creativity, French auteur Mia Hansen-Løve’s latest stars Vicky Krieps and Tim Roth as a filmmaking couple who go to the island of Fårö, where Ingmar Bergman spent the end of his life.

Tim Roth is in three films premiering at TIFF and two are on my must-watch list! Bergman Island is inspired by the work of Ingmar Bergman so depending on how much of the film is about the legendary filmmaker, my review may be posted on my classic film blog Out of the Past.

The Eyes of Tammy Faye
dir. Michael Showalter
starring Jessica Chastain, Andrew Garfield, Cherry Jones, Vincent D’Onofrio

Jessica Chastain stars as flamboyant televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker in this humanizing portrait of the rise and fall of the Bakker network empire.

This biopic on controversial televangelist Jim Bakker and his wife and media personality Tammy Faye Bakker is total Oscar bait. But I’m here for it!

France
dir. Bruno Dumont
starring Léa Seydoux, Benjamin Biolay, Blanche Gardin

Stinging satire meets melodrama in Bruno Dumont’s latest, starring Léa Seydoux as a fame-obsessed TV journalist in crisis.

Media satire with Léa Seydoux? Yes! The trailer looks great so I’m excited to check this one out.

Petit Maman
dir. Céline Sciamma
starring Joséphine Sanz, Gabrielle Sanz, Nina Meurisse, Stéphane Varupenne, Margo Abascal

Following a girl’s journey to her mother’s childhood home, French auteur Céline Sciamma’s latest is a tender tale of intergenerational connection.

I’m a big fan of Céline Sciamma’s work especially Portrait of a Lady on Fire which I had the privilege of watching at TIFF back in 2019. Her new film is an automatic must watch.

Titane 
dir.  Julia Ducournau
starring Vincent Lindon, Agathe Rousselle, Laïs Salameh, Garance Marillier

An automobile accident leaves disturbing consequences in this unflinching foray into human extremity from Julia Ducournau (Raw).

This Midnight Madness feature sounds absolutely wild!

The Girl and the Spider
dir. Ramon Zürcher and Silvan Zürcher
starring Henriette Confurius, Liliane Amuat

Ramon and Silvan Zürcher’s second film is a thrilling roundelay of mystery and sexual intrigue set off by a young woman’s move into a new apartment.

There isn’t much by the way of LGBTQ films on this year’s slate. I spotted this Swiss-German film on the list and am intrigued!

Sundown
dir. Michel Franco
starring Tim Roth, Iazua Larios, Charlotte Gainsbourg

Tim Roth stars in writer-director Michel Franco’s chilling drama about a wealthy Briton attempting to abandon his life while vacationing in Acapulco.

A story about escaping reality is something that will really resonate with audiences right now. I’m curious to see how this compares with Wakefield (2016).

The Starling
dir. Theodore Melfi
starring Melissa McCarthy, Chris O’Dowd, Timothy Olyphant, Kevin Kline

Melissa McCarthy, Chris O’Dowd and Kevin Kline star in Theodore Melfi’s bittersweet tale of a couple working their way toward the other side of grief.

We haven’t had a new Kevin Kline film in a hot minute and TIFF has two premiering. I really enjoyed Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me? so I’m excited to see her in another dramatic role.

The Good House
dir. Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky
starring Sigourney Weaver, Kevin Kline, Morena Baccarin

Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline play ex-flames who rekindle their romance, in this drama from directors Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky.

Kevin Kline + Sigourney Weaver + New England setting + rekindled romance = Yes please!

Other selections

Documentary:

Beba (dir. Rebeca Huntt)
Colin in Black and White (dir. Ava DuVernay, Sheldon Candis, Robert Townsend, Angel Kristi Williams, Kenny Leon)

International:

Anatolian Leopard (dir. Emre Kayiş) — Turkey
As in Heaven (dir. Tea Lindeburg) — Denmark
I’m Your Man (dir. Maria Schrader) — Germany
Kicking Blood (dir. Blaine Thurier) — Canada
Learn to Swim (dir. Thyrone Tommy) — Canada
Maria Chapdelaine (dir. Sébastien Pilote) — Canada
Medusa (dir. Anita Rocha da Silveira) — Brazil
The Middle Man (dir. Bent Hamer) — Canada
Silent Land (dir. Aga Woszczyńska) — Poland
The Story of My Wife (dir. Ildikó Enyedi) —Germany, France, Hungary, Italy
The Tsugua Diaries (dir. Maureen Fazendeiro, Miguel Gomes) — Portugal

Feature Film: 

The Humans (dir. Stephen Karam) — starring Steven Yeun, Beanie Feldstein, Amy Schumer, Richard Jenkins

Posted Film Reviews

Ema

Reggaeton dancer Ema (Mariana Di Girolamo) is in a tumultuous relationship with her choreographer/husband Gaston (Gael García Bernal). The two seem hellbent at destroying their relationship, throwing verbal jabs at each other and pouring salt on emotional wounds. Their adopted son Polo (Cristián Suárez) has been taken away for his destructive behavior and rehomed with a new family. Ema is desperate to get Polo back and will go to great lengths, including targeting the two new parents, to get him back. She embarks on a journey of self-discovery and destruction in order to fulfill her deepest desires.

“Ema, you’re going to battle.”

Director Pablo Larraín’s erotically charged Ema sets the screen ablaze with its magnetic star Mariana Di Girolamo. Her unique look, donning bleach blonde shellacked hair and a piercing gaze, is mesmerizing and you can’t help but fall for her like the other characters do in her story. There are some heavy themes including toxic relationships, parenthood, polyamory, self-destruction, sadism and pyromania. Scenes are intercut with dance sequences that feel seamless.

It’s difficult to understand why some of the characters, particularly Gaston, are so hard on Ema. And at one point I was getting We Need To Talk About Kevin (2011) vibes but Polo’s mental health struggles are not at all explored. I wish Ema’s story came with more background  and context but that might have taken away from her mystery and charm.

TW: Depictions of fire and the aftermath of a serious burn. This film premiered at TIFF a couple years ago and while I wanted to watch it then I recently had burned my leg and couldn’t deal with any imagery of a burn victim (Ema’s sister after an accident) and fire (Ema sets objects on fire with a flamethrower). I’m glad I waited as I was much more prepared to watch the film this time around.

“Ema is a paradigm: she’s a character of characters. Daughter, mother, sister, wife, lover and leader. She’s very powerful and presents a striking, beautiful sort of femininity. She’s motivated by relentless individualism, as she clearly knows what she wants and is capable of seducing those around her in order to line up her destiny. She wants to be a mother and have a family; perhaps what moves and motivates her the most is love.“

Pablo Larraín

Music Box Films will be releasing Ema on digital and VOD on September 14th. Visit the official website for more information.

Posted Female Filmmakers

Fantasia Festival: Ghosting Gloria

30-something bookseller Gloria (Stefania Tortorella) hasn’t experienced an orgasm yet. Tired of sleepless nights caused by her very vocal and very horny upstairs neighbors, Gloria moves into a new place for some peace and quiet. However, it’s occupied by the ghost of the man who died there weeks earlier. And he wants to give Gloria what she’s been missing. When Gloria’s best friend and coworker Sandra (Nena Pelenur) gets curious about Gloria’s newfound glow, Gloria can’t bring herself to explain that she’s hooking up with a ghost. Gloria finds herself at a crossroads when the ghost actually ghosts her, leaving her wondering if satisfaction, both emotional and sexual, can be found in the world of the living or the dead.

“The best player is not the one with the best cards but the one who knows how to best play the cards that were dealt to her.”

Written and directed by husband-and-wife filmmaking team Marcela Matta and Mauro Sarser, the Uruguayan film Ghosting Gloria/Muertos con Gloria is a paranormal delight. I love the film’s bookish vibe and the supernatural cunnilingus scenes are quite inventive and fun to watch.  The story does drag on a lot longer than it should. There is a point about an hour in that feels like a natural ending point yet the film continues for another 30 minutes. It felt like 3 television episodes stitched together and I wonder if this would have worked better as a mini-series. I’m glad I kept watching because the actual ending is quite satisfying and solves a visual clue that was presented throughout the film. Definitely check this one out if you can!

Ghosting Gloria/Muertos con Gloria had its world premiere at the 2021 Fantasia Film Festival.

Posted Female Filmmakers

Fantasia Festival: Glasshouse

“It’s important that you keep wearing your mask.”

The women of the Glasshouse shield themselves from The Shred, a toxin that permeates the air and robs humans of memories when they breathe it in. The Shred turns its victims into a shade of their former selves. The younger the victim and the fewer memories they have attained, the more they are affected by the toxin.

Bee (Jess Alexander), Evie (Anja Taljaard), Daisy (Kitty Harris) and Mother (Adrienne Pearce) maintain the Glasshouse and its grounds. They work to protect themselves with hooded masks, they seal the Glasshouse from the toxic air, they grown their own fruits and vegetables and they kill, eat, and bury male intruders. The four women are tasked with taking care of young Gabe (Brent Vermeulen), a victim of The Shred who is prone to lashing out.

When The Stranger (Hilton Pelser) arrives on the grounds with a leg wound, Bee takes him in which goes against Mother’s strict rules. The Stranger wins her trust and her desire and takes advantage of this in order to further infiltrate himself into the small world the women have created. He’s as dangerous as The Shred, threatening their livelihoods and sanity. While Bee fails to see this, sharp eyed Evie knows something is not quite right.

“Truth isn’t everything.”

“Someone has to carry it. Otherwise nothing means anything at all.”

There is a lot to unpack with Kelsey Egan’s dreamy science fiction drama Glasshouse. It’s The Beguiled for the pandemic era taking the concept of strong women who must protect themselves from dangerous men during chaotic. The Beguiled takes place in the Civil War era South and Glasshouse appears to depict the same era but in an alternate world where a pandemic instead of a war keeps the women isolated. The film is introspective with lots of thought put into the importance of memory, the concept of truth, and how replaceable individuals are in a society. It’s difficult to come away from this film and not find yourself deep in thought. I enjoyed the fact that the film offers the right balance of story, character development and information about the pandemic.

Glasshouse is not a remake of The Beguiled, although it does seem to be inspired by it, but rather an original story by South African filmmaker Kelsey Egan and co-writer and associate producer Emma Lungiswa de Wet. According to Egan’s director’s statement:

“the South African philosophy of Ubuntu holds that identity is collective and that ancestral memory shapes the present.  As thought-provoking as it is entertaining, we believe that Glasshouse is a timely film, meeting a societal and market need for challenging, female-driven stories… Glasshouse explores two opposing coping mechanisms to trauma: holding tightly to the past as a form of preservation, and wilful forgetting…”

The film was shot on location at the Pearson Conservatory in St. Georges Park in South Africa and features a South African cast and crew.

Note: only white characters appear in the film.

Glasshouse had its world premiere at the 2021 Fantasia Film Festival.

Check out my reviews for two film adaptations of The Beguiled  (1971) and (2017).

Note to add: Glasshouse will be available on digital July 12th, 2022.

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