Starring: Anamaria Vartolomei, Kacey Mottet Klein, Sandrine Bonnaire and Julien Frison
Distributor: Rialto Distribution
Runtime: 99 mins. Reviewed in Apr 2022
Reviewer: Peter W Sheehan
| 
| 
This French film explores the suffering and despair of a woman who finds she is expecting a child, unwillingly. It relays events that ‘happen’ to her, in an honest, authentic way with great force.
This subtitled French drama is directed from a screenplay written by Audrey Diwan (the film’s director), Marcia Romano, and Anne Berest, based on the autobiographical novel of the same name written by Annie Ernaux in 2000. The film won the Golden Lion Award for Best Film at the Venice Film Festival in 2021.
It tells the story of a gifted student, who falls pregnant, and who confronts her situation by deciding to undergo an abortion. The film explores her experience when abortion was illegal in France at the time. The title of this adults-only movie highlights in a literal way, events that have important, personal meaning. It refers to ‘things that happen, often in a way that is unexpected or hard to explain’ (formal English translation of the noun, ‘happening).
Anne Duchesne (Vartolomei), 23 years of age, is a promising, bright student, studying literature in provincial France in 1963. She wants to finish her university studies, and is being supported by her working-class family. Her parents run the neighbourhood bar. Facing her final exams, she unexpectedly falls pregnant to Maxime (Frison), who fails to accept any responsibility for his actions. Jean, a male confidant (Klein), would prefer to take sexual advantage of her in her predicament. Her mother, Gabrielle (Bonnaire) knows something is wrong and is concerned, but represents a life from which Anne wants to escape.
To have an abortion, Anne decides to break the law. The film shows the psychological and physical horrors of Anne’s attempts to abort to avoid the scrutiny of the law as well as the negative feelings and judgments she knows would be expressed by those around her. The film tracks through her pregnancy up to 12 weeks in detailed fashion. Anne knows she risks going to prison, and imprisonment faces anyone who decides to help her, but she proceeds. Her situation produces in her feelings of deep isolation and profound loneliness, and exposes her to the censorious judgments of others.
Audrey Diwan has delivered a well-executed movie that explores the horror of what Anne went through. The film is excellently acted by Vartolomei as Anne, and is very well directed by Diwan. It builds to a heart-rendering conclusion that shows how terrifying it was for Anne to do what she did, and how ill-prepared she was for the consequences she faced.
The film is true in detail to the time of events, and delivers its drama with total immediacy. Viewers are made fully aware of what an unwanted pregnancy means to a young woman living in France in 1963. In many ways the film is a bravura piece of filmmaking – unadorned, impactful, horrific, and honest. The film shows scenes that many will find hard to watch, but it is impossible to deny their power. There is never any doubt of the director’s resolve to show compassion for what Anne is experiencing, and, in this respect, the film eminently succeeds. Diwan’s film conveys sensitive understanding of Anne’s plight.
This is an emotionally tough, naturalistic drama, that is brutal in parts. It is not at all didactic in tone. It takes a positive stance to women wanting control over their bodies, and chooses not to debate its claimed truth or explore its stance morally. The film is first and foremost a cruel reminder of what ‘happened’ to a woman, who became unexpectedly pregnant. Anne experienced misunderstanding, prejudice, and trauma. Her journey was intensely personal, and occurred in a society that controlled a woman’s need by ignorance and punishment.
This is a film that is difficult to watch, but also one that is hard to forget.
12 Random Films…
