Starring: Guillaume de Tonquedec, Victor Belmondo, Guilaine Londez, Jeremy Gillet, Julien de Saint Jean
Distributor: Hi Gloss
Runtime: 97 mins. Reviewed in Oct 2023
Reviewer: Fr Peter Malone msc
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An author returns to his hometown of Cognac for the first time in 35 years to help promote a distillery. He is also there to face the memories of his first love.
Memories of Marcel Proust pervaded the watching of this personal drama. There are themes of time lost, time remembered, in search of times past, time regained. And, on checking on the Wikipedia entry for the novelist, Philippe Besson, it revealed that he had, indeed, included Proust himself as a character in one of his novels. And the themes of homosexual orientation. The novel and the film are autobiographical.
This is a fine film, a subtle drama with a screenplay that draws the audience in, a story of the present but many flashbacks, memories of 1984, each era continually throwing light on understanding of the two central characters, the past eliminating the present, the present offering more explanations of the past.
The film opens with 42-year-old novelist, Stephane Belcourt driving to the town where he grew up but had left 35 years earlier. Cognac is the main product of the region and the town is celebrating its bicentenary of production. Stephane has been a prolific novelist but has hit a dry patch. However, writing a short story about his town resulted in the invitation to come back and promote the distillery. Stephane is played quietly and effectively by de Tonquedec (who more than resembles the novelist in appearance). Stephane is hosted by the Gaelle (Londez) who is organising his program for the celebrations, book signing, interviews, bicentenary dinner speech.
As he returns to the town, Stephane begins to remember, age 17, his final year at school and relationship with fellow student Thomas, who responds but is strongly determined that nobody know. They meet in secret – some frank sexual scenes – at the swimming pool, at the lake, then in Stephane’s room at home. These flashbacks are spaced right throughout the running time of this film, culminating in Thomas being photographed by camera enthusiast, Stephane, and then going to Spain to work on his uncle’s farm, never returning. Stephane then left the town to pursue his writing career.
But, the main drama in the present is complex. Stephane encounters Thomas’ son, Lucas, whom he didn’t know existed. Lucas is eager to meet Stephane and, gradually, the audience learns why. Lucas’ life with his father is sad, tragic – and Stephane not knowing it. And so, the Proustian titles, time lost, time remembered . . .
The performances are persuasive. Victor Belmondo (grandson of Jean-Paul) is Lucas. Jeremy Gillet and Julien de Saint Jean are effective as the younger Stephane and Thomas, and the audience always tantalised by looking at Stephane in the present and trying to connect the young 17-year-old with his older self, and tantalised by the sad knowledge of what happened to Thomas.
The English title is too clever with its pun indicating sexual nuance. But, it is not clever enough in actually translating and communicating the tone of the French title, translated ‘Stop with your lies’ which Stephane reveals is a comment that his mother used to make about his stories, making them up in observing people around him, the equivalent of lies. Ultimately, this is a drama about facing the truth, telling oneself the truth, admitting the truth to others.
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