Last updated on June 9, 2025
A film by Anna Cazenave Cambet
With: Vicky Krieps, Antoine Reinartz, Monia Chokri, Viggo Ferreira Redier, Aurélia Petit, Park Ji-Min, Salif Cissé, Julien de Saint Jean, Malou Khebizi, Tallulah Cassavetti
At the end of summer, Clémence tells her ex-husband that she’s had relationships with women. Her life is turned upside down when he files to strip her of their son’s custody. Then begins a struggle of several years for Clémence to defend her right to be a mother and a woman – free to make her own choices.
Our rate: (*)
A feminist narrative that relies heavily on Vicky Krieps, who is not only the lead actress but also the producer. The subject matter is highly contemporary, questioning masculinity, male dominance, and a woman’s need to live freely, express her sexuality, and pursue her loves while maintaining her respectability, beyond any moral considerations. Throughout, the film questions a mother’s right to continue being a mother if she chooses homosexuality and free love. It questions society’s moralizing gaze, a man who quickly reveals himself to be manipulative and malicious, and the moralization of justice. It’s an interesting and important subject. But the film gets lost in digressions, lacks energy, strength, and conciseness, and also displays a form of Manichaeism, quickly becoming tiresome. What in other films might have impressed the viewer (Vicky Krieps‘ unique grace, a surprising combination of apparent fragility and inner strength and determination) becomes a weakness here. By focusing too much on the idiomatic performance of her lead actress, Anna Cazenave Cambet forgets to add a personal touch to the story, to go beyond simple clichés. She traps the viewer in a one-sided reflection that resembles an uninterrupted monologue, never challenged.
Be First to Comment