Our April film is a charming but serious investigation into the minds of children. Céline Sciamma, who was one of the screenwriters for our last film, Paris, 13th District, created the story and screenplay based on memories of her own childhood, directing two very talented young sisters, Joséphine and Gabrielle Sanz, in this intimate look at how children process events that are hard for them to understand. The cinematographer Claire Mathon, who worked with Sciamma on Portrait of a Lady on Fire, creates a warm and beautiful world that envelops the two girls and brings us the audience inside it.
Petite Maman won the audience award at the San Sebastian Film Festival, and was placed on A.O. Scott’s list of the 10 best films of 2021 in the New York Times.
Screen the film at home on Amazon or other popular streaming services, and then join Joelle Pluchon and Peter Zingg at 5 pm on Wednesday, April 12 for a bilingual discussion on Zoom.
For additional context, perhaps best read after you watch the film, here’s a nice interview with the director, and a Q & A with the cinematographer that includes some gorgeous, painterly stills from the movie.
Film Details
Original title / Titre originale: Petite Maman (2021)
Running time / Durée: 1h12m
Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Family
Directed by / Réalisé par: Céline Sciamma
Casting: Joséphine Sanz, Gabrielle Sanz, Nina Meurisse, Stéphane Varupenne, Margot Abascal
Stream it online / Regarder sur: Kanopy, Hulu, Apple TV, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Vudu, Microsoft Store, Redbox, Spectrum On Demand
Nelly a huit ans et vient de perdre sa grand-mère. Elle part avec ses parents vider la maison d’enfance de sa mère, Marion. Nelly est heureuse d’explorer cette maison et les bois qui l’entourent où sa mère construisait une cabane. Un matin la tristesse pousse sa mère à partir. C’est là que Nelly rencontre une petite fille dans les bois. Elle construit une cabane, elle a son âge et elle s’appelle Marion. C’est sa petite maman.
Nelly has just lost her grandmother and is helping her parents clean out her mother’s childhood home. She explores the house and the surrounding woods. One day she meets a girl her same age building a treehouse.