By Roger Costa
ALL TO PLAY FOR
It is such an unmeasurable burden to see your children taken away and not be able to fight it. There is no console for any parent who hasn’t done any wrong, besides being busy in order to provide for their children, to deal with the separation from the most important being, under radically unjust reasons.
Actress Virginie Efira confirms her status as France’s current leading lady, giving another fierce demonstration of her appeal, dramatic skills and nuance. She plays Sylvie, a single mother in trouble with child welfare services when an accident leaves her youngest son severely burned. They decide she isn’t fit to properly care for him, taking him away to a foster home while keeping an eye on her progress and how it affects the elder son, an aspiring instrumentalist.
Writer-director Delphine Deloget’s scores a convincingly emotional and deeply moving dysfunctional family drama addressing the complications single parents must face within their strict income, low working opportunities, and social expectations seen through the dark and cold-heart perspective of a judgmental system. It is a remarkable debut influenced by the best in neo-realism. This Cannes-nominated selection is poised to heat up the conversation about childcare and the struggle of the working class for economic balance.
(Screens March 1 and 8 with director Deloget in-person on the 8th)
SPIRIT OF ECSTASY
French pop star Claire Pommet makes an impressive acting debut as a young non-binary person in pursuit of her goals and ambitions.
Fresh out of Toronto, Director Héléna Klotz examines gender identity, family abuse and financial ambitions in this wonderfully told, upbeat, modern urban drama. Jeanne is forced to provide for their siblings while struggling to fit in as a financial advisor. There is also an unsolved romantic issue, as a former military lover returns resurfacing past wounds.
He is played by the incredibly reliable and ultra cool actor Niels Schneider, who brings emotional tension to the story, while Sofiane Zermani as Jeanne’s boss embodies greed, determination and capitalism with powerful chemistry. He delivers a memorable character, worth of Awards attention.
But the film belongs completely to Pommet. She is charismatic, ambiguously sensual, incredibly smart, sort of a genius with numbers, and wise with words whom anyone would love to have a date with. As she journeys the experience of being young in a competitive, materialistic era, she captivates the audience with naturalism and perfect synch, crafting an unforgettable heroine. There is a bright, very bright future for her in this industry.
(Screens March 4 and 8 with director Klotz in-person on the 8th)
(The 29th Rendez-Vous with French Cinema runs February 29-March 10 at Walter Reade Theater, Lincoln Center. It also features Free Talk programs with special guests. Go to https://www.filmlinc.org/festivals/rendez-vous-with-french-cinema/#films for details).
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