The Father of My Children

Director: Mia Hansen-Løve
Cast: Louis-Do de Lencquesaing and Chiara Caselli
Releasing in cinemas: 26 August 2010
Rated: M

Now here’s a very different movie from the usual ‘busy executive with family’ stories. The underlying subject of this French film comes as a surprise to the audience, and would it be unfair to reveal it in advance. Suffice to say it’s handled effectively by the film’s director, Mia Hansen-Løve.

Dialogue-driven for the first reel, we follow Grégoire Canvel (Louis-Do de Lencquesaing), a high powered film producer as he frantically sorts out various problems on his mobile phone, while hurrying through Paris heading for his country home. Madly enthusiastic about his job, he also loves his family of three daughters (Alice Gautier, Manelle Driss, Alice de Lencquesaing) and wife Sylvia (Chiara Caselli).

Much is made of the domestic bliss of the family: a scene in which the kiddies put on a play is a delight. We see them in lyrical country excursions, including on a stroll to an ancient ruined Knights Templar chapel (remember The Da Vinci Code). Pascal Auffray’s ‘plein air’ cinematography creates a soft luminosity in these scenes. Pastoral charm with its languid tempo is sharply contrasted with the organized chaos back at Grégoire’s office - phones ringing, people scurrying, technical shooting problems at every turn.

Unfortunately his film company has financial difficulties, there are large sums owning to creditors. Trying to sort this out by making various deals and placating people in the industry becomes a troubled time. Committed to keep his company operating, the apparently invincible Gregoire tackles the mounting difficulties with determination.

His charm, humour, and negotiating skills stretched to the limit. Things come to a head when the banks may foreclose despite trying everything possible, so then Grégoire makes a decision which will have far reaching repercussions.

Writer/director Hansen-Løve (All Is Forgiven) says the film was inspired by a real film producer whom she greatly admired. That respect shows in her handling of the actor Louis-Do de Lencquesaing (Hidden) who’s totally convincing as the harassed production company boss, loving husband, and father. Covering a wide emotional range, his performance is helped by wry humour in tight situations.

It’s a compelling performance, enhanced by the very appealing three children, including de Lencquesaing’s real life daughter Alice. Chiara Caselli (Ripley’s Game) also has emotional hurdles as the concerned mother. The gentle tempo makes for a sudden impact from the dramatic twist.

Hansen-Løve employs traditional production values without much tricking-up, which is suited to the subject matter and as mentioned the pastoral sequences have a quiet beauty, acutely observed with reference to local history. Those interested in the film industry and its workings will find additional satisfaction in revealing aspects of film production, both behind the scenes and on location. The Swedish auteur director making desperate deals with the Russians to keep his art-house film in production, may reflect a young Ingmar Bergman.

The pace meanders, taking time for the story to develop and reach its unexpected sting in the tail, then the fugue ending. While not every one’s piece of pie, this poignant study of the demands of the film industry on family life has much to commend it. The final song, the old Doris Day number ‘Que, Sera, Sera’, becomes especially appropriate, and a quotable line - “The soul lives on through films”.

John Bale