Provenance

I watched this film recently at the Madrid International Film Festival and was very intrigued by its trailer. What starts out as a slow burn of a film slowly unveils a deep and rich relationship between an older man and a younger girl. At first it's hard to believe what this 20 year old girl sees in this older man but the actress, Charlotte Vega, a true star in the making, makes you BELIEVE in her love for this man. The two of them spend a wonderful weekend together in a southern town of France where they strengthen their bond and love for one another...shot beautifully by a very talented Director of Photography. A "Before Sunrise" with an age gap.

However, and I will say this without spoiling anything, it delivers an ending that will punch you right in the gut and make you regret feeling anything that you felt earlier for these characters. An ending so twisted/amazing that it cannot be ignored. I wish the filmmakers luck and recommend everyone see this film, but you will only be able to see it once.

As you start to watch you wonder if it's an other musician centered drama but how wrong can one be. Set in a lovely village in south of France with a real relaxing feel made one feel almost there, and the little subtle touches of humor really well done. The whole cast seemed to work well together including the walk on bits. Complemented by great camera work the story line could have gone anywhere but followed a really beautiful but heart wrenching emotional ending. The main actors were really great especially Charlotte ,young and new to the industry but we can expect to see more of her.

I don't usually write reviews, even when I really disagree with what's being written. There's no accredited reviews for this movie and it's clear there's a bias going on, with reviews being written at the same time by friends and family. Don't blame them, but it's not very subjective.

I watched this film the other night and it wasn't for me. Very pretty to look at, but you can't go wrong in picturesque France. Lots of painters, like Van Gogh, went there for the light.

It's a good idea, not very original, but it seems to buckle under its own pretentiousness. At times I thought the director didn't understand what the writer was meaning. But he's the same person! Perhaps he was taking on too much by doing everything and being the camera man also? All three jobs needed improving. The pace of the movie is at times so slow and never different and then further slowed down by inserted shots of the slow countryside, to remind us where we are. Slowville.

Sometimes it is earned by the actors and shows there is potential here for something better. Christian Mackay is the only one I had heard of. He was so good as Orson Welles and is completely different here. Occasionally Mckay looks bored, but I kind of agreed with him. I think it's strange the reviews here only seem to go on about the girl. I thought Charlotte Vega got better as the movie went on, but she doesn't rescue the part from being cliched and doesn't have much more than her looks on screen. I don't know why he's interested in her when the other girl seemed more exciting. The other actor mumbled his lines and was always crying. He seemed boring. No match for Orson Welles. Is it inexperience that made it so dull?

Some fabulous scenery to enjoy in this film. A tranquil village in southern France. A simple enough story about an older man and much younger woman, but with something of a dark, savage twist. Ok overall.

An Englishman is staying in a quiet provincial town in southern France. He's entering middle age and he's at a crossroads in his life. A classical pianist, his early promise has not been sustained. His marriage has collapsed in acrimony.

A young woman walks into the town, a luminous figure in white. It is Sophia, for whom the Englishman is waiting.

Ben Hecking's gripping film 'Provenance' explores the attraction between an older man who has known disappointment and a young woman on the verge of maturity. For him she holds a promise of love and renewal — and she's as much an ideal as she is real.

Ben Hecking is a rare talent in film-making, a director who is also a cinematographer. On 'Provenance' he excels in both areas. The tempo and depth of the drama are underscored by Hecking's atmospheric imagery, with expert editing by Andonis Trattos.

'Provenance' is remarkable for building deep characterisations but with economical use of language. This is the type of 'pure cinema' that Hitchcock spoke about, which uses mainly visual cues to put the audience into the mind of the characters.

Christian McKay delivers a compelling performance as John Finch, the reserved musician who has given too much to his music. As the action starts, we find him an outsider in the French town and without direction in his life. A chance encounter with another English visitor, played with edgy skill by Harry Macqueen, builds the sense of unease.

With Sophia's arrival, John's character becomes warmer and more relaxed. Yet Christian McKay shows us the checks that are hard-wired into John's personality, making it impossible for him to open out fully — in contrast to the spontaneous, ardent Sophia.

Charlotte Vega creates a radiant portrait of Sophia, a free spirit who follows her impulses and exposes herself to great damage. With her psychological insight and instinctive command of character, Ms Vega expertly navigates a spectrum of emotions, from playful humour to inconsolable distress. Charlotte Vega is a born screen actor.