Kalinka

In AU NOM DE MA FILLE, Director Vincent Garenq pulls off a convincing work despite obviously limited funding resources, observable through minimal period recreation, done mostly through the use of cars.

The human element, man vs justice system, draws your interest from the outset, when you wonder why André Bamberski (superbly portrayed by Daniel Auteuil) is being arrested. A flashback of close on 30 years follows, with some parts more interesting than others, starting off in Morocco and meandering through France, Germany and Austria.

Almost constantly on screen, Auteuil delivers an immensely credible performance. He is not a good looking man, married to a beautiful woman, played by Marie-Josée Croze, who falls for the charms of a German medical doctor (Sebastian Koch, in a short but penetrating display of deception, mendacity, neighborly evil).

Sadly, Croze's part is thankless: no character development, never any explanation as to why she never questioned Dr. Krombach's decision to administer drugs and injections to her teenage daughter, clearly causing her demise - even after she had separated from the evil doctor. Other than aging convincingly, I found nothing to remember about Croze's performance.

Albeit in the background most of her on-screen time, I liked Christelle Cornil's role as girlfriend Cécile. Facially, she is not as eye-catching as Croze, but she looks like someone who enjoys life and loves with honesty. She has a most elegant figure and lovely legs, too. She stays loyal to Bamberski for many years, even though he lives almost entirely to see justice done by his murdered and raped daughter. Inevitably, Cécile runs out of patience and leaves him, and that is when a side of Bamberski emerges that suggests his justice-seeking quest may conceal a vindictive streak too: he will not have children with her. He has wasted her love and her time without any apparent remorse.

That obsession over his daughter's case clearly carries selfishness, too - not of a materialistic nature, but of the type that fails to heed the advice of his lawyer, of his father, the growing distance from his son who is fed up with his father's difficult relation with his mother, and of friends that see him losing his marbles... and a good woman to boot, whom he bafflingly refuses to have a child with.

Still, that complex vindictive facet helps explain why he contracts a trio to beat up Krombach and so see some justice done that the justice systems of Germany and France - acting in collusion to dismiss the case - keep turning a Kafkaesque blind eye to. The effects of that indifference at the top of the legal system are clear: it destroys lives and relationships as surely as the murder of an innocent teenager. And it forces one to take justice into one's hands, which the very same legal system is much quicker to act on and punish.

I liked the way Bamberski found a way to circumvent such legal callousness by getting Interpol involved, resulting in the application of the European Arrest Warrant (EAW) when Krombach illegally resumes his medical practice in Austria, which in time (much, much later) permitted his extradition.

Convincing script and dialogue, competent cinematography despite jarring narrative breaks in which the screen turns black, what stayed with me was Daniel Auteuil's superior performance, with Koch the shifty nemesis who steals his wife and his daughter's life.

Despite its flaws, AU NOM DE MA FILLE is thought-provoking and involving from beginning to end.

Disturbing film about the true case of Bamberski. He was lucky enough to have a couple of sidekicks: the good lawyer who works alone, like him, the German translator, and faithful Cécille, who withstands a lot. His dad in his alpine retreat is also understanding, gives him the best advice.

André had a life as a businessman, not very kind to his employees as we see in the first scene, but has his life transformed by the death of her daughter. The film doses the truth very well, and doesn't' shy away from showing the darker aspects of André. He is shown speaking alone while working, attempting acts that are not very lawful, and with a single- mindedness that could end with somebody at any moment. My favourite moment is him eating and resting alone in his car, a homage to "L'adversaire" in my humble opinion (one of the best films I've ever seen). The differences between the two roles are stark, nevertheless. Daniel A. can pull off basically any role he's thrown at, with a lesser actor this film would have been just stock material.

The director succeeded into making Marie-Josée Croze an unlikable woman ;). Her character could have more character development, I didn't understand much her (lack of) reactions and why did she never react to André's truths, not even at the cemetery when they cross paths with A.

I didn't feel much like going to Germany after watching this film ;). It looks like a foreign country, cold, with a difficult language, a juridical system that protects people like Dieter K. and rather absurd legal decisions. Hadn't it been for Andre's stubbornness, Kalina's case would have been buried. The German system doesn't come off very well in this film ;). It may have to do with French-German relationships, not always loving, but it's for Europeans to give opinions on that.

Overall, a great film. Not entirely pleasurable to watch but, given the material, a well told story, without melodrama or demagogy.

Recommended!

Just watch this movie, for the real story, for the cast, for everything. The persistence of a man in seek of justice where the system, most of the times, fails. Outstanding performance of Auteuil, one of the best actors in Europe. Also my thumbs up for Koch.

Absolutely brilliant movie!Once again,bravo to European cinematography! Without any embellishments or Hollywood style bull-dang,simple touching ,true story of grief,sacrifice,father's love and fight for justice... To anybody, who liked this film and has a strong stomach for extreme violence and disturbing story strongly advise to watch another film on French language, but made in Quebec:"7 jours du Tallion" Anyhow, one of the few films, I happily give a 10!!!

Vincent Garenq is the new André Cayatte: apart from his first effort which dealt with gays who wanted a child ,his next three works " Presume Coupable " "L'Equipe " and "Kalinka " aka " Au Nom De Ma Fille " have seen him champion causes.

Unlike Cayatte ,a former lawyer who used fiction-and sometimes widely talked about affairs -,Vincent Garenq bases his films on real facts ;but like him ,and in spite of occasional flashbacks, he favors firm screenplays, linear story- telling .His style may seem jerky,telegraphic ,but his account covers 30 years (of fight against a blind justice which releases a criminal ,leaving him free to commit other horrors .)And this succinctness helps the director sustain the interest through the whole film.

Daniel Auteuil is ,as usual ,convincing as a father who devotes his life to do his beloved daughter justice ;and hats off to the make - ups: the principal is in his late thirties when he begins the task,and a sexagenarian when he finally wins the case ,and it's credible!

Even Hercules was not asked not such a labor :to clean the Augean stables of justice .That was what André Cayatte would do, that's what Vincent Garenq do today.