Contemporary French cinema explores the possibilities for human relations after loss, melancholy and trauma

Résumé du document

The subject of loss has been widely exploited in the twentieth century cinema by film-makers and actors. It is a classic and a delicate topic. As dealing with the loss is very personal and hardly reproducible on a film stock, the undertaking is risky. It is difficult to find the right interpretation for a person submitted to a post-loss trauma and even more to depict it into his social environment without exaggerating or being mistaken. Human relations are indeed deeply moved by a loss, especially when the mourning is made difficult for any reason. French contemporary cinema is popular for portraying correctly the evolution of a person who is subject to a loss followed by a trauma and melancholy. Two movies, both directed by François Ozon can be particularly relevant in discussing this idea. The first one "Regarde la mer"(meaning: See the sea) came out in 1997 and depicts the encounter between Sasha, a British mother bored by her life of a housewife, and Tatiana, a rude and frightening backpacker. The viewer learns later that she has lost a baby in an abortion. The second one "Sous le sable" (meaning: Under the sand) came out in 2000 and is about Marie and Jean, a couple in their fifties and the way that Marie deals with the loss when his husband disappears in the sea. In both cases, the loss of a loved one is the triggering factor of the story. When this loss is sudden or traumatizing, the mourning cannot go right and the individual is plunged into melancholy.

Extraits

[...] First, financial ones because even though she runs out of money, she refuses money that could come from the acceptance of her husband's death and still buy him expensive ties. Secondly, a sentimental block occurs: Vincent loves her and could end her loneliness but Marie refuses to give him a real importance by loyalty to her husband. She tries to think she is still fulfilled by the wedded bliss so rule out any perspective of sentimental renewal. Ozon worked a lot in order to recreate as accurately as possible this denial reaction. [...]

[...] Through Ozon's films, contemporary French cinema has more explored the difficulties of human relations after a traumatic loss than its possibilities. Indeed, François Ozon confesses it himself: deuil se fait toujours seul.”[7] Bibliography Sigmund Freud, Deuil et mélancolie, extract from Métapsychologie, published in Contributions 2004/4 Emile Durkheim, Les Formes élémentaires de la vie religieuse, PUF Article Note sur le concept de mélancolie chez Freud Sabine Parmentier, Revue Figures de la Psychanalyse 2001/1 Etudes magazine, section Arts et Litterature, n°394 2001/4, Cinema by Jean Collet p.538 à 546 Article Mélancolie et identification by Anne Oldenhove-Calberg : http://www.association- freudienne.be/documents/Melancolieetidentification.pdf Francois Ozon's official website : www.francois-ozon.com Website : www.fluctuat.net Sigmund Freud, Deuil et mélancolie, extract from Métapsychologie, published in Contributions 2004/4 Article Note sur le concept de mélancolie chez Freud Sabine Parmentier, Revue Figures de la Psychanalyse 2001/1, p.120 Emile Durkheim, Les Formes élémentaires de la vie religieuse, PUF p.567 Sigmund Freud, Deuil et mélancolie, extract from Métapsychologie, published in Contributions 2004/4 Interview of Francois Ozon by Samir Ardjoum on fluctuat.net website : http://cinema.fluctuat.net/Francois-Ozon/interviews/2222--laquo-en-france- il-y-a-eu-un-certain-complexe-par-rapport-aux-films-sociaux-raquo.html Interview about ‘Sous le Sable' on François Ozon's official website, september 2000 : http://www.francois-ozon.com/francais/entretiens/sous-le- sable.html Ibid. [...]

[...] Contemporary French cinema explores the possibilities for human relations after loss, melancholy and trauma Classic but always delicate for filmmakers as well as for actors, the subject of loss has been widely exploited in the twentieth century cinema. Yet, since dealing with the loss is very personal and so hardly reproducible on a film stock, the undertaking is risky. It is difficult to find the right interpretation for a person submitted to a post-loss trauma and even more to depict it into his social environment without exaggerate or be mistaken. [...]

[...] Besides, the moment when she undresses before going to bed with the mother and the baby is highly symbolical: it is like she was getting rid of her past to take a new start. Who knows if in her traumatized mind, the murder of the mother is not necessary to restore equilibrium: a baby is dead so a mother has to die to make everything come back to normal. Sewing Sasha's vagina is also a way to erase the signs of the maternity she desires so much and didn't have. [...]

[...] Indeed Regarde la mer sounds in French like “regarde la mère” at the mother”) and suggests from the beginning the sadistic human confrontation to come. In the same way, Marie's denial attitude towards her loss is announced by the title “Sous le sable”. In French, putting his head under the sand means avoiding problems, ignoring them while knowing they exist. Once again the hidden interpretation of the title warns the viewer about the topic of the film. Marie's different way to deal with her loss is here linked with the fact that she did not see her husband die. [...]