Petite Maman
“Petite Maman” is a film that benefits, I think, from a strong memory of childhood, and what it was like to not only have a unique connection with another kid, but to work through grief at such a young age. For her follow-up to “Portrait of a Lady on Fire,” Celine Sciamma is, once again, exploring connections between females, but this time, those connections are as much between girl-to-girl as they are mother-to-daughter. The result is charming and beautiful.
If you find yourself alone a lot as a child, I think you gain a more fanciful imagination, so when you find someone you connect with who is the same way, it’s easy to just flow into that together. When Nelly joins her parents going out to her mother’s childhood home after her grandmother dies, she explores, and seems to have a curious nature to her. A bit of a reflection of her burgeoning character early on is when she says goodbye to all the residents in the home her grandmother lived in before she died. Then, as she talks to her mother afterwards, she wonders if she said goodbye properly. Her generosity of spirit we’ve seen early on in the film leads us to believe that her grandmother probably felt her goodbye and compassion when she was gone.
I lost three of my grandparents by the time I was 14. My parents did not have me around for the arduous task of cleaning out their homes, and going through stuff. When my grandfather on my mother’s side passed away in 2000, I was just about to turn 23, so I was very much a part of the process. Nelly throughout this film is equally curious about the history of her mother’s childhood home, as well as bored at the idea of doing the work, which is left to her parents (Nina Meurisse and Stéphane Varupenne). There was definitely a sense of boredom to go with the tedious nature of getting everything out of the house so we could, eventually, sell it, but now that I am 44, and working through my own parent’s house, I have a greater appreciation for the process. Yes, much of it will not be kept, but one wants to make sure to hold on to those memories that could be worth holding on to emotionally. Going through pictures of our time in Ohio, I’m remembering a lot of my childhood, when I was the same age as Nelly.
When Nelly meets Marion (Gabrielle Sanz), who’s making a fort, not unlike the one Nelly’s mother said she made as a child. Nelly’s mother left the night before without saying goodbye, so coming across Marion is a welcome development. She soon discovers that Marion is her mother, but at Nelly’s current age. We never receive an explanation as to how this is happening, but emotionally, we feel why this is happening- it’s so that Nelly can connect stronger with her mother in this time of mourning. I won’t reveal everything about this idea, but it’s fascinating to see character dynamics contextualized through a simple slight of hand as Sciamma engages in here. At 72 minutes, this is not a narratively complex story, but it is an emotionally complex one, and when we’re dealing with loss and uncertainty, no other type of story can exist.
“Petite Maman” is a beautiful, simple film that recollects childhood, and gives its characters a chance to experience life outside of the prism of reality, all while working through very real emotions. If you’ve ever felt disconnected from your parents, or uncertain after loss, whether you’re 8 or 38, “Petite Maman” is a film that sees you, and hopes to comfort you.
