This Little Life

I know many of you would describe this as a tearjerker, which is probably what you'll see if you don't watch closely.

To me, this film is about the essence of life, of human relationships. A child is born prematurely, and although the parents are told not to set their hopes too high, they instinctively love the child. They can't touch it, only see it, but they are bonding. Their souls connect.

On the surface, this is a tragic story. If you look closer, there is a philosophical message to it. I see beauty in this film, the beauty of undying love between a mother and her child. Humans have this power for love, which makes all that is happening in the world a bit more bearable. Even the unthinkable...

I found this story hugely moving from the outset. The story centers around 3 main characters. Sadie, the ever-loving, very devoted mother. Richie, her very caring partner, and Luke, their son.

Luke was born very prematurely, weighing only 1lb 4oz. It was doubtful that he was going to survive very long at all, but thanks to the will-power and caring of his mother Sadie, he seemed to be hanging in there. Sadie has an amazing connection to Luke, knowing instinctively when he's ill or unhappy. The whole film shows how determined one mother was to keep her son alive, at any cost, even that of her marriage or sometimes her mind. Excerpts from Sadie's diary are read, giving narrative to the tale. As well as showing small clips from Luke's later life, that'll never be. In the end though, there are some really hard decisions to be made. When Luke takes a turn for the worse, Sadie and Richie have to ask a stark question: What is this little life ultimately worth?

Amazing performances on such an achingly hard topic. Well done to Peter Mullan, whose tremendous effort as the caring Consultant really paid off. Giving this film a human edge that i didn't think was possible.

I saw This Little Life at the Telluride Film Festival in its US premiere and felt, as I'm certain the rest of the audience did, that I was fortunate to be among the first to witness a gifted filmmaker's first feature. Gavron's restrained and classic approach to the story kept it far from the hamfisted pitfalls that many other directors may not have been able to avoid. Moments in the characters' lives that become too intimate to share with others are relegated to the audience's imagination; Gavron shuts doors and closes windows, allowing us to reflect unconsciously on the unspeakable instead of unnecessarily attempting to depict what is universally understood. I cannot imagine more difficult subject matter to tackle in a film nor can I imagine it handled with more sensitivity--the director caresses her audience with the same warmth and nurturing ability as that of a mother with her newborn child. The performances echo Gavron's soft, elegant touch and are, across the board, extraordinary and profoundly understated. Making people cry is a learned cinema trickery, but truly moving them is a gift. This one will stay with me for a very long time and I hope that it is released in the states so I can share it with others. Kudos to all who helped bring this beautiful film together.

I just happen to see this film in Bangkok International Film Festival 2004. When I first heard of the film I didn't really know what to think. It is a little known film from a little known director and it's surrounded by other festival favorites. The storyline however was interesting: a family struggling to save a pre-mature baby who is 17 weeks early. This is a very delicate subject to talk about let alone making movie about it. The script was written very well and the director tackled this film with sensitivity. Kate Ashfield delivered a heartbreaking realistic performance as a mother who believes that her tiny baby is developing his own personality. This movie portrays maternal instinct in a unique way that sometimes it can bring you to the verge of tears and sometimes make you smile. Director Sarah Gavron had done a fantastic job in capturing the emotions from both the mother and the father of the baby (although the film was mainly focused on the mother character). The contrast and color scheme of different scenes also help convey the mood of the characters. For me, I think this is a film that will touch everyone's heart. I'll be looking forward to Ms. Gavron next feature film.

I saw this film at the 2003 Toronto Film Festival - the ONLY time it's ever been shown in North America - and have been trying to locate a copy of it ever since. Based on my exhaustive efforts and those of the excellent Film Buff store in Toronto, I can categorically state that that there is no available copy to be had anywhere. The only possible reason is that the BBC is deliberately withholding it. And attempting to contact the BBC is futile - they have no customer service to speak of.

My primary reason for wanting this film so badly is that one of the main characters is a neonatologist, and I have a brother-in-law who's one who I know would love to see it. But it's also an excellent film on a difficult subject that any cinephile can appreciate. Kate Ashfield gives one of the strongest performances I've ever seen from an actress - it's like she's trying to WILL her preterm infant to survive. The only stronger actress performance since 2000 that I can think of is Ellen Burstyn in REQUIEM FOR A DREAM.

But you'll have to take my word for it.

Addendum 1/12/2018: Great news! The movie has FINALLY resurfaced after 15 years! Just click "more" in the menu bar on the main page, then click "official sites" and there's a link where you can stream the movie for free. Thank you Vimeo!

p.s. my aforementioned brother-in-law neonatologist saw it, loved it, and says that it's completely legit.