GABRIELLE
Canada, 2013, 104 minutes, Colour.
Gabrielle Marion- Rivard, Alexandre Landry, Melissa Desormeaux -Poulin.
Directed by Louise Archimbault.
Canada’s official entry for the Oscar for Best Film in a Foreign Language.
Gabrielle is a vivacious young woman. We initially seeing her and a choir – but there is something different about the choir, some of the members have Down Syndrome, and others have difficulty in attentiveness. The choirmaster, a dedicated young man, has difficulties in co-ordinating their efforts.
This is a choir that belongs to a residence for mentally-impaired adults. And Gabrielle is one of these. It is intriguing to discover that the actress portraying Gabrielle, Gabrielle Marion- Rivard, herself has mental difficulties.
The film offers an opportunity for the group at the centre and in the choir to be affirmed in performance, in their characters and in interactions during the film. It is also an opportunity for Gabrielle Marion- Rivard to give a striking performance, credible, sympathetic, at times exasperating, and a chance for audiences to look and listen as well as appreciate and understand.
Gabrielle is 22, has a busy mother who is involved with a Symphony Orchestra but is cared for by her older sister, Sophie, a kind and understanding woman who nevertheless has a life of her own, especially with a partner who is working in India with a children’s choir – and whom we see via their Skype communications. Gabrielle is not able to manage by herself but feels a great need for some kind of independence, a chance to have a place of her own so that she can be herself and cope.
A significant part of the film involves this quest by Gabrielle, staying with her sister, looking out the window at people getting into the bus, coming downstairs and imitating them, trying to find her way to a pet shop where Martin, with whom she has fallen in love, works part-time. But he is not there and in her attempts to get home becomes quite bewildered and lost. It is particularly dangerous for Gabrielle because she is diabetic.
The other major theme of the film is about relationships, love, and possibilities of sexuality and partnerships for those at the centre. Martin is a pleasant young man, a soloist in the choir, attracted to Gabrielle. They are caught several times together and Martin’s mother is very upset and withdraws Martin from the centre. This has repercussions for the choir rehearsals because the group is training to perform publicly during a music festival in Montréal.
The film is matter-of-fact about the sexuality issues, the members on the staff of the centre being very direct in language and questions of Gabrielle and Martin. As it raises questions for Martin’s mother, it also raises questions for the audience, the nature of the relationship, the possibilities for the future, issues of pregnancy and parenthood. But the film does not want to solve these problems, rather, it shows a temporary encounter and leaves the rest to the audience as the concert is in progress and both Gabrielle and Martin happily sing.
Non-Canadian? audiences will not be familiar with the real-life singer, Robert Charlebois, who agrees to sing with the choir, some of his own songs (which have some eyebrow-raising lyrics), comes to their rehearsals and happily performs with them as the culmination of the film.
There is great humanity in this film, not shirking the difficulties, especially for Gabrielle having to say goodbye to her sister as she goes overseas, indicating how difficult it is for Gabrielle to live by herself, having some accidents as she attempts cooking, with the realisation that there must be some supervision, but in the most affirming and supportive way possible.
1. Canadian Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film?
2. The Canadian settings, Montréal story? From the Québec region? Universal?
3. The city of Montréal, the Residence, the interiors, atmosphere? Apartments, streets, shops, socials and orchestras? The concert, the outdoor venue, the activity, performance? The feel of the city?
4. Robert Charlebois, his songs, performance, melodies and lyrics? Popular in Montréal? The decision for the choir to sing these songs? The rehearsals, the solos, the final performance and acclaim?
5. The title, the focus on Gaby, the mentally-handicapped actress and her performance? The other residents and their handicaps, performances? The actors amongst the actual characters? The carers, parents, family?
6. The issues of handicaps, how well handled in the film? Sympathy, empathy, no condescension? The presentation of handicaps, intelligence, emotional, physical, experiences, the need for development, issues of autonomy, desires and possibilities, their being tested? Achievement and failure, the
consequences? Issues of sexuality, urges and libido, the regulations for the residents, the opinions of the family, parents, possibilities?
7. Gaby, her age, in the residence, managing, her room? The background of her parents, her father being pitch perfect? The mother and her work with the Symphony? Love for Sophie, devotion to her? Love and care? Scene at the pool, the rehearsals, her personality, bright cheerful? Collecting the paper in the office and work her work of shredding it? Liking Martin, the effect on her emotionally, her needs? Laurent and his care? The other members of the staff? Remi and his skill in conducting the choir and dealing with each of the singers? Gaby and Martin, the kiss, their being caught? Their meeting together, in the room, the discussions, the issue of the tattoos, Martin’s mother and her reaction? Taking Martin away from the residence? Gaby and her pining? With Sophie, on the back of her bike? At the apartment, wanting autonomy, buying the milk and bread and the Hindi greetings to the shop owner? The toaster, the disaster, her withdrawing, smashing the glass of milk? Sophie coping? Gaby knowing the Sophie wanted to go to India, overhearing the Skype conversation? Going to the social, her mother, the violin players? The group visiting the pet shop? Her later watching people at the bus stop, going on the bus, asking directions, going to the shop, Martin not there? Walking alone, lost? Continually checking her diabetes, the danger when she was lost? Saying she was sorry to Sophie? Sophie arranging the phone call to Martin, his agreeing to be her boyfriend? The emotional farewell to Sophie, scream, acceptance? The concert, meeting Martin, their getting of dogs, going under the stage, the sexual encounter, the effect on each of them? Last seen singing in the concert?
8. The discussions about abilities, handicaps, Martin’s mother being protective? Sophie and her love? The discussions about sexual behaviour, the role of the carers, the rules, offering lessons, issues of condoms? The frank language of the carers to both Martin and Gaby about sexual behaviour, touching the penis…?
9. Martin, his singing, attraction to Gaby, the kiss, the issue with the kiss and tatoos, his mother’s protectiveness, taken away, the new course, cabinet-making, the preparation of the gift the Gaby, and including the map? At rehearsals, his solos? The phone call and his joy? Meeting Gaby at the concert, hot dogs, the sexual encounter and its effect on him? Singing? The future?
10. The various residents, Michael old, the men singers, the girls, the Down Syndrome girls, the black man…?
11. Remi, his personality, the rehearsals, his care for the group?
12. Laurent, his work, his care, his attentiveness, the touch of his own personal life, the constant attention, respecting each?
13. Sophie, her character, relationship with her mother, at the social, eating lunch and telling the truth to her mother? The Skype calls from India, her boyfriend? The children singing and greeting? The decision to go, dealing with Gaby and her feelings? The phone call to Martin?
14. The mother, her relationship with John, her work, the Symphony, the socials? Talking with Sophie? The search for Martin and Gaby before the concert? With Martin’s mother?
15. Robert Charlebois, the celebrity, coming to the rehearsals, his genial treatment of everyone, introductions, and the performance?
16. The film inviting the audience to share experience of handicapped people, appreciate them, understand them and the situations, the needs, sexual
relationships? Audiences responding with both mind and heart? The continuing issues of growing older, development or not, autonomy and supervision?
