Nos batailles

'Nos Batailles' is a film about a mysterious dissapearance. But this is not a thriller, trying to unsolve the mystery. It is a real life drama about what happens to a father and his two young children, after his wife leaves the family without leaving a trace.

In fact, the viewer never knows exactly why the wife left her husband and children. And exactly this is what drives the father almost crazy. He wants to be angry, but at whom? Director Guillaume Senez succeeds in showing his desperation, and in letting the viewer feel what he feels. At first, he is reluctant to discuss the issue with his children or anyone else. Only after his sister confronts him with his own relation to their father, and after some dramatic events, Olivier comes to terms with the new realities in his life. The film ends with a wonderful, hopeful scene.

This is only Senez's second feature film, but you'd swear it was made by a much more experienced film maker. Sometimes, it seems Senez is influenced by his fellow Belgians the Dardenne brothers. They share the same unpolished style of film making, and also the emphasis on social themes such as workers' rights - Olivier is a union representative at his company. At other times, the film making style of Hirokazu Kore-Eda comes to mind. For example in the way Senez tells the story by showing small events.

Showing intense emotions in an honest, restrained and non-sentimental way is one of the hardest things in film making. In this film, Senez does exactly that. And he does it very well.

This movie leaves a complete void at the finale. Don't think you will get any resolution to the sad predicament of the family.

Don't bother starting to watch.