Petite Maman Movie Review: Céline Sciamma Continues Her Poetic Journey Post Portrait Of A Lady On Fire

Céline Sciamma's 2021 film Petite Maman (translated to Little Mum) was released on MUBI on February 18, 2022, and can be watched worldwide on streaming now. With this film, the highly artistic writer-director has to her credit another gem after her last feature film Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) - a beautiful piece of cinema that propelled her to fame around the world.

Petite Maman is just over an hour long (72 minutes) and without any elaborate storytelling techniques. It touches the heart with its simplicity and innocence, just like the children shown in the film.

Story

Petite Maman tells the story of an eight-year-old girl Nelly (Josephine Sanz), trying to come to terms with the death of her grandmother, while living in her grandma's home with her mother Marion (Nina Meurisse) and father (Stéphane Varupenne). Her friendship with a girl her age, whom she has met in the woods, lets her explore her emotions, as she also tries to figure out her relationship with her mother and father.

In telling this tale of loss that each of us has gone through, the film also showcases other aspects of a seemingly normal family life that may resonate. The relationship of child and mother is at the centre of Petite Maman, whether it is that of Nelly with her mother or that of Marion (Gabrielle Sanz) with her mother (Margo Abascal).

No Frills Treatment

Petite Maman is from a child's point-of-view, her imagination. And that's that. The film has not been treated like a mystery or supernatural or sci-fi story. It is just how we imagine things while we cope with grief and loss and our problems. Sometimes we are able to cope, sometimes not. And sometimes we gain or discover something out of the longing.

The film also shows children and adults how they are in real life, in the most natural surroundings and not sugary sweet or cry babies / having too many issues. No unncessary drama. Just dealing with situations.

The depiction of girl children is also not stereotypical in that they don't wear frocks or don't play with dolls (except in a play they are enacting). They play paddle ball, and have a treehouse in the woods and can deal with things on their own.

Performances

Celine Sciamma deftly brings out the most natural performances from the twin child actors as well as the senior actors.

Technical Aspects

Cinematography

The artistic visuals of Portrait of a Lady on Fire were created by cinematographer Claire Mathon, who returns to helm the visuals of Petite Maman. She also recently worked on Kristen Stewart's Spencer. In Petite Maman, she conveys the mood of the film with each frame, and also the child's POV, quite literally.

Music

Like in Portrait of a Lady on Fire's bonfire scene, there is a song towards the end of Petite Maman placed where the high of emotions has to be conveyed. Like a crescendo, and without much sound or music in the rest of the film. It works like a trademark for Sciamma and her regular music composer Jean-Baptiste de Laubier, who is, in fact, the composer for Portrait of a Lady on Fire, and the director's earlier films, Water Lilies and Girlhood.

Editing

Also having worked on all these films of Sciamma is editor Julien Lacheray, who seems to truly understand her language of cinema and it works in unpredictable fare like Petite Maman.

That's three major frequent collaborators there for Sciamma, who has become a powerhouse director of World Cinema.

Verdict

Once a director has established their artistic credibility and signature, you expect that from them every time. French auteur Celine Sciamma surely delivers each time and is one of the most important filmmakers of our time - irrespective of her being a 'woman director'. Her work is worth watching just for how she deals with the subject and treats the film in its entirety. Another hallmark of a great film director. Petite Maman is a good watch for the weekend.

Rating

We will go with three out of five (3/5) stars for Petite Maman.