Ponette

A 4-year-old French girl, Ponette (Victoire Thivisol) waits for the return of her mother, who has just died at an auto accident.

This beautiful and sensitive drama surprised a lot of people when won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival 1996, given to a 5-year-old novice, Victoire Thivisol. She is really magnificent and, controversy aside, the important award recognized the biggest achievement in the film: Victoire reacts with amazing naturalness and outstanding facial expressions to the most intricate scenes. "Ponette" is a film that certainly will be in your memory, mostly because of a too young girl who shows the difference between a little great actress and a gracious child who wrinkles the eyebrows eloquently.

My wife and I viewed this film without any prior knowledge of its quality (or even of its existence!) To say the least, we were extremely impressed. We find it difficult to understand how the director managed to create situations where these wonderful children could perform so magnificently. The storyline is certainly simplistic, but the film's greatness comes from the marvelous interactions between the young children which go well beyond acting as we normally understand it. These interactions are so authentic that the storyline as such becomes a secondary consideration. One reviewer critized the 'fantasy' ending of the film saying that it somehow broke the flow of the story...

But, I for one appreciate the fact that the creators of this film allowed us to regain our composure before the lights went back on !

is given by 4 year-old Victoire Thivisol. Differences in how people deal with death and the role religion plays are brought into focus in this outstanding, thought provoking and unrelenting heartbreaking film. Death and religion are difficult enough concepts for adults but to thrust them upon a 4 year old child and watch her battle to understand why her mother is dead is captured beautifully and thoughtfully in Ponette. This is a must see.

I have wanted to see this movie for a very long time. At the time it was released, my own Mother had suddenly died and I knew that it would have been too intense for me to watch. Now, it is almost 11 years later and I have finally watched it and this is quite simply one of the most true to life portrayals of grief and the journey it becomes for really anyone. I was Ponettes age when my father died and I can completely relate to her reactions, her agony and the confusion she portrayed. I can remember asking constantly when Daddy was coming back and not really accepting the answers that people were telling me. I also recall praying and talking to my father when I was alone in my room, begging him to come back and see me when no one else was around. I even had a dream about my father that was amazingly close to Ponettes interaction with her mother. This rang so true for me that I couldn't believe the writer of this story connected things in such a realistic way. Victoire Thivisol is shockingly real in this role. I cannot believe she was only 4 years old when this was filmed! It's a fascinating study of a shields emotional response to such a tragic event and quite honestly, I am at a total loss of words as to how to describe the power of this movie. I can only tell you that if you are looking for something intense and engrossing, this would be your movie. I really appreciated the feeling it left me with at the end too.....that life is not always easy and predictable but that humans are remarkably resilient beings who can actually grow in wonderful ways from the events that challenge us the most.

This 1996 French film is reminiscent of an earlier French film from the 60s; Serge Bourguignon's "Sundays and Cybele", which also featured an astounding performance by a young girl, the remarkable Patricia Gozzi (Rapture '65)

Director/Writer Jacques Doillon has achieved the almost impossible with this production, in fact it would seem as if the story was built around the talents of its remarkable young child star; four year old Victoire Thivisol. Very few four year olds could manage the intense work required to bring this story to life. The Director (and or Producer) has wisely gathered a crew of highly specialized technical professionals, who create the incredible illusion the viewer is following the lives of the characters as they unfold.

Cinematographer: Caroline Champetier is known for her vivid Documentaries and features (Of Gods and Men '10 ~ Last Days in Jerusalem '11 ~ The Bear '88) Then, to piece the images together seamlessly, they chose Editor/Director: Jacquelne (Fano) Lecompte, known for her collaborations with documentary director Francois Bel. Both Bel and Lecompte won awards for their "Territory of Others" in 1970. When you also add to the above, Camera Operator/Director of Photography: Julien Hirsch (Korkoro '09) they made for a very solid collaborative team - all documentary trained filmmakers of renown.

Some reviewers have quite reasonably drawn attention to the use of such a young cast for a highly emotional subject...dealing with the death of a beloved parent (in this case the girls own mother) This child has numerous harrowing scenes, including clawing at the earth of her mother's grave begging for her to "come back"! The method chosen for ending the film is good, but a little jarring...with the appearance of the girls mother! This could be taken as a child's imaginings, but these scenes are filled with very 'real' details - leaving the viewer unsure. Ponette's mother is played by Marie Trintignant, who just a few years later would sadly go to her own grave at only 41. With so many tears of tragedy needed throughout the entire story, it makes one wonder about the methods of prompting required to elicit so much from a four year old?

The film makers and distributors must also have been concerned, as the video cover features an entire two page disclaimer - regarding managing the effects on the child star --written by a Psychologist--. Makes you wonder. Composer Philippe Sarde (Tess '79 ~ The Bear '88 ~ The Tenant '76) has written a sensitively expressive music score that's never intrusive. The adult characters in the early stages of the film can seem a little sketchy, with Ponette's father abandoning his grieving daughter by going away for an unexplained reason, leaving her in boarding school or with various relatives. Some of the scenes with her Auntie (and cousin's) do manage to achieve a level of interest and thoughtfulness.

A beautiful film for those who like a special kind of story telling or love children. The Tartan VHS release is OK, but appears to be a rare find on DVD.