I received a DVD of this foreign movie during Oscars countdown season when the nominations were announced. I didn't watch. But when my buddy, Scott Simon, interviewed the director/writer last weekend on his NPR Weekend Edition show, the interview was so warm and his praise for the film was so sincere that I was motivated to watch my DVD.
I now know how Scott felt. PETITE MAMAN is an absolutely beautiful, unusual film that is told simply in 1 hour and 10 minutes. It's a tale of love, grief, memory and connection. Brava to writer/direction Celine Sciamma for her well-deserved success with this tender French film.
I can't tell you too much about PETITE MAMAN I'd give away and ruin the surprise, revelations and joy of this film. But I can tell you some.
As the film opens, we see 8-year old Nelly going from room to room in a facility and saying goodbye to old ladies. Then she leaves and gets in a car with her mother. Nelly is polite, smart without being precocious, aware and playful. We see this playfulness in the way she shares her snacks with her mother, who is as sweet as Nelly is.
There's grief in Nelly's heart because of the recent passing of her beloved grandmother. She and her mother are on their way to the grandmother's house in the woods -- the mother's childhood home -- to clear it out.
During the process, the mother leaves. It's just Nelly and her dad. Nelly is aware of the heartbreak her dad has and the grief her mother has. While walking in the woods, Nelly meets a girl who is building a treehouse. The girl, Marion, is also 8 years old and looks just like Nelly. The two become fast friends. The friendship will prove to have a certain healing magic about it.
There's no hyper editing. No glitzy special effects. No extravagant movie sets or lead characters wearing capes. As I wrote, it's told simply -- and beautifully. Nelly and Marion are played by real-life twins, Josephine and Gabrielle Sanz. They're wonderful.
I highly recommend PETITE MAMAN,
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