The generational chasm between our parents’ lives and the memories we preserve of them — sure, in turn, to warp and fade when passed to our children — is elegantly explored in “Little Girl Blue,” Mona Achache’s pained, poignant docudrama cry to her female elders. In an effort to process her mother Carole’s death by suicide in 2016, the filmmaker collates an assortment of archival materials to trace the arc of a turbulent and care-starved life, leading inevitably to the time-blurred figure of Achache’s grandmother, writer and editor Monique Lange. But it’s in the gaps between tangible records that the film gets most interesting, as Marion Cotillard steps in to inhabit the Carole of her memories, the ones Achache can’t quite find on paper.
This is hardly a novel technique, given the evolving hybridization of the documentary form, as filmmakers chase larger audiences with the narrative and aesthetic comforts of fiction.
This is hardly a novel technique, given the evolving hybridization of the documentary form, as filmmakers chase larger audiences with the narrative and aesthetic comforts of fiction.
- 3/6/2024
- by Guy Lodge
- Variety Film + TV
As tender, painful and intimate as an open caesarean scar, writer-director Mona Achache’s drama-documentary Little Girl Blue examines the fraught relationships between three generations of women within the director’s own family, starting with her literary grandmother Monique Lange, her mother Carole Achache and herself.
Although narrated by Achache, who “plays” herself throughout, the focus is above all on the troubled child of the midcentury Carole, who committed suicide in 2016 and left behind an enormous cache of letters, journals, publications, photographs and documents. Achieving a remarkable casting coup that will make all the difference for the film’s commercial prospects while richly enhancing its emotional texture, Achache persuades French superstar Marion Cotillard (La Vie en rose, Inception) to play Carole. The result is a fascinating psychodrama — with extra scoops of meta on top — that showcases the talents of all the story’s women, especially Cotillard and Achache. At the same time,...
Although narrated by Achache, who “plays” herself throughout, the focus is above all on the troubled child of the midcentury Carole, who committed suicide in 2016 and left behind an enormous cache of letters, journals, publications, photographs and documents. Achieving a remarkable casting coup that will make all the difference for the film’s commercial prospects while richly enhancing its emotional texture, Achache persuades French superstar Marion Cotillard (La Vie en rose, Inception) to play Carole. The result is a fascinating psychodrama — with extra scoops of meta on top — that showcases the talents of all the story’s women, especially Cotillard and Achache. At the same time,...
- 5/30/2023
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In the driving seat: Yolande Moreau (behind left), Noémie Lvovsky and Juliette Binoche (front) in How To Be A Good Wife by Martin Provost Photo: UniFrance
As a mere male, director Martin Provost has demonstrated his feminist credentials long before Me Too made it fashionable and politic to do so. In Séraphine, winner of seven Césars (the French Oscars) he explored the life of an outsider artist unforgettably incarnated by Yolande Moreau. With The Midwife (Sage Femme) he united Catherine Frot and Catherine Deneuve as they confront life’s shifting sands. En route there was also his portrait of writer Violette Leduc with Emmanuelle Devos as the contemporary and protegé of Simone de Beauvoir.
Martin Provost: "My strong feminist streak comes from my mother. She was more important in my life than my father …” Photo: UniFrance
Provost’s new film How To Be A Good Wife is distinctly different and...
As a mere male, director Martin Provost has demonstrated his feminist credentials long before Me Too made it fashionable and politic to do so. In Séraphine, winner of seven Césars (the French Oscars) he explored the life of an outsider artist unforgettably incarnated by Yolande Moreau. With The Midwife (Sage Femme) he united Catherine Frot and Catherine Deneuve as they confront life’s shifting sands. En route there was also his portrait of writer Violette Leduc with Emmanuelle Devos as the contemporary and protegé of Simone de Beauvoir.
Martin Provost: "My strong feminist streak comes from my mother. She was more important in my life than my father …” Photo: UniFrance
Provost’s new film How To Be A Good Wife is distinctly different and...
- 11/23/2020
- by Richard Mowe
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Extremely well received at last month’s edition of Tiff, Martin Provost’s Violette becomes purchase number two (after Bethlehem) in just as many weeks for Jeff Lipsky’s Adopt Films. Screen Daily reports that the NYC-based distrib will release the biopic in May or June of next year.
Gist: Co-written by Provost, Marc Abdelnour and René de Ceccatty, Emmanuelle Devos stars in the eponymous role as the bisexual postwar author Violette Leduc, who was born out of wedlock and raised in poverty and went on to become the world renowned writer of The Bastard. This sees Sandrine Kiberlain star as Simone de Bouvoir, Jacques Bonnaffé as Jean Genet, Olivier Py as Maurice Sachs and Olivier Gourmet as Jacques Guérin.
Worth Noting: Leduc actually saw her novel novel Thérèse and Isabelle be adapted into a 1968 film by director Radley Metzger and starring Essy Persson and Anna Gael.
Do We Care?...
Gist: Co-written by Provost, Marc Abdelnour and René de Ceccatty, Emmanuelle Devos stars in the eponymous role as the bisexual postwar author Violette Leduc, who was born out of wedlock and raised in poverty and went on to become the world renowned writer of The Bastard. This sees Sandrine Kiberlain star as Simone de Bouvoir, Jacques Bonnaffé as Jean Genet, Olivier Py as Maurice Sachs and Olivier Gourmet as Jacques Guérin.
Worth Noting: Leduc actually saw her novel novel Thérèse and Isabelle be adapted into a 1968 film by director Radley Metzger and starring Essy Persson and Anna Gael.
Do We Care?...
- 10/2/2013
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Adopt Films has taken all Us rights to "Violette," starring Emmanuelle Devos ("Coco Before Chanel," "The Beat My Heart Skipped") in the title role as feminist author Violette Leduc. The film, helmed by Martin Provost ("Seraphine"), premiered at Tiff, where Toh! had good things to say about it. We weren't the only ones who liked it. Variety called it a "sharply observed, sympathetic biopic of a trailblazing author," and the NY Times found it "deeply satisfying." Both praised Devos' performance. The film spans twenty years, from the last days of WWII until the publication of Leduc's first bestseller "The Bastard." The film charts her young life of poverty, having been born out of wedlock, to her sensational friendships with fellow authors and mentors Simone de Beauvoir, Jean Genet and Maurice Sachs, to her life as a bisexual woman and an estimable literary talent. Adopt is eyeing a late May or...
- 10/2/2013
- by Beth Hanna
- Thompson on Hollywood
Exclusive: Venice winner Sacro Gra sells to eight more territories.
Doc & Film International has closed multiple deals on Martin Provost’s recent Toronto world premiere Violette including a Us sale to Adopt Films.
Rights have gone to Mongrel/Metropole in Canada, Golem in Spain, Madman in Australia and New Zealand, Kool Distribution in Germany, Immovision in Brazil, Cineplex in Colombia, Folkets Bio in Sweden and Xenix in Switzerland.
Further deals closed with Cdi Films in Argentina, Swallow Wings in Taiwan, Filmladen in Austria and Cinema Mondo in Finland.
Diaphana will launch the film in France in November, Big Bang in Belgium and Contact in the Netherlands.
Emmanuelle Devos stars in the eponymous role as the bisexual postwar author Violette Leduc, who was born out of wedlock and raised in poverty and went on to become the world renowned writer of The Bastard.
Violette also stars Sandrine Kiberlain as Simone de Bouvoir, Jacques Bonnaffé as [link...
Doc & Film International has closed multiple deals on Martin Provost’s recent Toronto world premiere Violette including a Us sale to Adopt Films.
Rights have gone to Mongrel/Metropole in Canada, Golem in Spain, Madman in Australia and New Zealand, Kool Distribution in Germany, Immovision in Brazil, Cineplex in Colombia, Folkets Bio in Sweden and Xenix in Switzerland.
Further deals closed with Cdi Films in Argentina, Swallow Wings in Taiwan, Filmladen in Austria and Cinema Mondo in Finland.
Diaphana will launch the film in France in November, Big Bang in Belgium and Contact in the Netherlands.
Emmanuelle Devos stars in the eponymous role as the bisexual postwar author Violette Leduc, who was born out of wedlock and raised in poverty and went on to become the world renowned writer of The Bastard.
Violette also stars Sandrine Kiberlain as Simone de Bouvoir, Jacques Bonnaffé as [link...
- 10/2/2013
- ScreenDaily
Doc & Film International has closed multiple deals on Martin Provost’s recent Toronto world premiere Violette including a Us sale to Adopt Films.
Rights have gone to Mongrel/Metropole in Canada, Golem in Spain, Madman in Australia and New Zealand, Kool Distribution in Germany, Immovision in Brazil, Cineplex in Colombia, Folkets Bio in Sweden and Xenix in Switzerland.
Further deals closed with Cdi Films in Argentina, Swallow Wings in Taiwan, Filmladen in Austria and Cinema Mondo in Finland.
Diaphana will launch the film in France in November, Big Bang in Belgium and Contact in the Netherlands.
Emmanuelle Devos stars in the eponymous role as the bisexual postwar author Violette Leduc, who was born out of wedlock and raised in poverty and went on to become the world renowned writer of The Bastard.
Violette also stars Sandrine Kiberlain as Simone de Bouvoir, Jacques Bonnaffé as Jean Genet, Olivier Py as Maurice Sachs and Olivier Gourmet as Jacques Guérin. Provost...
Rights have gone to Mongrel/Metropole in Canada, Golem in Spain, Madman in Australia and New Zealand, Kool Distribution in Germany, Immovision in Brazil, Cineplex in Colombia, Folkets Bio in Sweden and Xenix in Switzerland.
Further deals closed with Cdi Films in Argentina, Swallow Wings in Taiwan, Filmladen in Austria and Cinema Mondo in Finland.
Diaphana will launch the film in France in November, Big Bang in Belgium and Contact in the Netherlands.
Emmanuelle Devos stars in the eponymous role as the bisexual postwar author Violette Leduc, who was born out of wedlock and raised in poverty and went on to become the world renowned writer of The Bastard.
Violette also stars Sandrine Kiberlain as Simone de Bouvoir, Jacques Bonnaffé as Jean Genet, Olivier Py as Maurice Sachs and Olivier Gourmet as Jacques Guérin. Provost...
- 10/1/2013
- ScreenDaily
With each passing year, Tiff is becoming more and more prominent on the film festival circuit, with more and more Oscar-primed films making their debut out in Canada. And with the initial line-up announced for the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival, the trend is definitely continuing.
Amongst the many, many films making their presence felt out in Toronto will be Steve McQueen’s highly anticipated 12 Years a Slave, which launched a powerful first trailer earlier in the month. The film sees Chiwetel Ejiofor lead a fantastic cast, with Michael Fassbender returning to work for his Hunger / Shame director, alongside the likes of Brad Pitt, Benedict Cumberbatch, Sarah Paulson, Paul Giamatti, and many more.
Opening the festival will be Bill Condon’s The Fifth Estate, which stars Benedict Cumberbatch as WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, alongside Daniel Brühl, Laura Linney, Anthony Mackie, and Stanley Tucci.
And closing it will be Daniel Schechter’s Life of Crime,...
Amongst the many, many films making their presence felt out in Toronto will be Steve McQueen’s highly anticipated 12 Years a Slave, which launched a powerful first trailer earlier in the month. The film sees Chiwetel Ejiofor lead a fantastic cast, with Michael Fassbender returning to work for his Hunger / Shame director, alongside the likes of Brad Pitt, Benedict Cumberbatch, Sarah Paulson, Paul Giamatti, and many more.
Opening the festival will be Bill Condon’s The Fifth Estate, which stars Benedict Cumberbatch as WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, alongside Daniel Brühl, Laura Linney, Anthony Mackie, and Stanley Tucci.
And closing it will be Daniel Schechter’s Life of Crime,...
- 7/24/2013
- by Kenji Lloyd
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Toronto Film Festival 2013 Dates and Movies (photo: Pierce Brosnan, Emma Thompson in ‘The Love Punch’) The Toronto Film Festival 2013 dates are September 5 to 15. The Opening Night Gala film is Bill Condon’s bound-to-be-controversial The Fifth Estate, which is not a belated sequel to Serge Leroy’s The Fourth Power / Le 4ème pouvoir. Instead of the Power of the Press — which seems to have gone the way of the 20th century (unless you consider the Royal Baby an epoch-making event) — The Fifth Estate is about the Power of Technology: the Wikileaks scandal that embarrassed (and infuriated) the U.S. government and military by exposing their dirty dealings. Written by Josh Singer, The Fifth Estate stars Star Trek Into Darkness‘ Benedict Cumberbatch as Julian Assange, in addition to Laura Linney, Daniel Brühl, Anthony Mackie, Moritz Bleibtreu, Peter Capaldi, David Thewlis, Alicia Vikander, Carice van Houten, Stanley Tucci, and Dan Stevens. The Toronto...
- 7/23/2013
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
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