Father Of My Children

Far removed from the frothy fare that the French are well known for, All Is Forgiven writer / director Mia Hansen-Løve’s second full length feature – Father Of My Children (Le père de mes enfants) – is a sombre yet bittersweet affair about love, life, loss, family, finances and film. Starring Louis-Do de Lencquesaing (Hidden) as the father of the title, and Chiara Caselli (Ripley’s Game), Alice de Lencquesaing (Summer Hours, the real life offspring of her on-screen father), Alice Gautier and Manelle Driss (both newcomers) as his feisty family of females (his wife and three daughters respectively), it is a mature, melancholy and nuanced offering that follows a few short months in the life of the Canvel family, from a peaceful weekend in their country house to a quick trip to Sweden, and including significant exposure to the hustle and bustle of professional and personal relationships, Parisian-style, in between.

Father Of My Children is a film of two distinct halves. In the first section, we meet Grégoire (de Lencquesaing), a film producer running his own company, and on the verge of making his fiftieth feature. Fiercely proud of his work and his back catalogue, the strain of juggling several simultaneous projects – each in various states of progress – is beginning to show, and despite his efforts to make each of them a hit, trouble surrounds every one. Making matters worse is his precarious financial situation, with the banks closing in as each day passes, and his determined lawyer and accountant seemingly unable to stave them off irrespective of desperate attempts to stay afloat. To escape from the tension of his working day Grégoire attempts to spend time with his family – wife Sylvia (Caselli) and daughters Clémence (the younger de Lencquesaing), Valentine (Gautier) and Billie (Driss) – however even at home his focus shifts back to work, much to Sylvia’s dismay.

The second half of Father Of My Children unravels the consequences of Grégoire’s actions as events take a distinct turn as a result of his intervention. Sylvia and her children come to the fore as they become more involved in the family business, with each connecting with Grégoire’s work for their own reasons. For Sylvia, her participation forces her to confront the stark reality of the difficulties faced in balancing work and home lives – and to understand Grégoire’s struggle to do so, whilst teenager Clémence embraces the creative side of film as she blossoms into young adulthood, from daytime screenings of old favourites followed by caffeinated beverages in a cafe, to an innocent liaison with a student (played by the director’s brother, Igor Hansen-Løve) formerly under Grégoire’s tutelage. Although playful youngsters Valentine and Billie remain distanced from the action, they too come to appreciate the legacy of their father’s film career, in the magical, wide-eyed way that all children view the acts of their parents.

The Un Certain Regard (Special Jury Prize) winner at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival – and recipient of a Lumiere Award for best screenplay as well – Father Of My Children is a difficult film to dissect without going into much detail, as so much hinges on a crucial plot point that irrevocably alters the lives of the characters (a quick internet search can fill in the blanks for readers keen to know more). Rumoured to be modelled on Humbert Balsan and his wife Donna (in an interpretation of the course of the respected producer’s life – one which immediately impacted upon Hansen-Løve, in fact), it is perhaps best described as a film that deconstructs the reality and perception of self image and its mirroring amongst those closest to us, in an unimposing, unassuming, unaffected and uncontrived effort. With well-deserved praise directed towards the entire cast for earnest and authentic performances (with the child actors particularly polished), and to Hansen-Løve for such a complex, intelligent and ultimately life-affirming final product, Father Of My Children is a sensitive treat of restrained emotion and vivid characterisation within the family drama setting, and – despite sometimes difficult themes and austere imagery – well worth watching.

Father Of My Children opens in selected cinemas from August 26, 2010, with advanced screenings between August 20 – 22.

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Tags: Cannes, drama, family, films, France, movies