MERES ET FILLES/THE HIDDEN DIARY

Canada, 2009, 105 minutes, Colour.
Marina Hands, Catherine Deneuve, Marie- Josee Crozee, Michel Duchoussoy, Romano Orzari.
Directed by Julie Lopes Curval.

Meres et Filles is an interesting portrait of characters, difficulties in relationships, finding some kind of resolution. As with the title, the emphasis is on mothers and daughters, over three generations – and a possible fourth.

The film is a French- Canadian coproduction, filmed in a town in France, on the sea.

The central character is Audrey, played by Marina Hands, in her mid-30s, having lived in Toronto for 10 years working on projects, in a relationship with an artist, and pregnant. She has returned to France to think over her future with the project, and, especially, whether she should have an abortion or not.

Catherine Deneuve plays her mother, and doctor, cold in manner, efficient in her work, yet relating well to her long-suffering husband, Michel Duchoussoy.

Audrey cannot stay at home because of the atmosphere and decides to stay in her grandfather’s house, her grandfather recently dead. This gives her space to study, to reflect on the abortion, to relate to her parents and her brother and his family. She discovers a diary by her grandmother who had mysteriously disappeared, condemned by her husband as having stolen from him. But, the alleged stolen money is also found, and, gradually, the realisation is that the grandfather had killed his wife.

The film also uses the device of Audrey imagining her grandmother, Marie- Josée Crozee, her life with her husband, her hopes, her diary, her cooking and her recipes – as well as, in the fantasy, her giving advice to Audrey.

What her mother is unwilling to read the diary, she ultimately does, realises that her mother had really loved her and her brother, had great hopes for them, and had not disappeared because of them. There is a mellowing between mother and daughter. The father of the child also comes to visit and there are some discussions about the possibilities of parenting and commitment.

Well-acted and well-written, continually interesting.

1. The title? The French emphasis on relationships? The English emphasis on the hidden diary?

2. French- Canadian co-production, set in France, the town, by the sea, the homes, shops, ordinariness? The musical score?

3. Audrey’s story? Her arrival at the station, the background of her work, research, the possible project, living in Canada? Her being pregnant and not telling people? Her phone calls to Tommy, the discussions, the possibility for an abortion? Her relationship with her mother, her father, at the house, with her uncle and the family and the meal, her going to the grandfather’s house, moving in, buying the machine, setting herself up, doing her work? Her age, her crisis, the unresolved relationship with her mother?

4. The story of the grandfather, his house, his death and his funeral and Audrey not coming? The mystery of Louise, the missing grandmother, the grandfather’s comment about stealing
from him and her disappearance?

5. Audrey, her imagination, Louise coming to life, imagining her life with her husband, his harshness, repressing her, her ambitions, hopes, work, cooking? Her relationship with their children? Her hopes for them? Her disappearance?

6. Audrey finding the diary, the notes, the story, the recipes? Her mother not wanting to read it? Her uncle reading it? The impact, the puzzling, the conclusion that the grandfather had murdered his wife?

7. Martine, doctor, cold in manner, love for her husband, family life, her relationship with Audrey, based on the relationship with her own mother, detached, Audrey going to Canada? Their discussions, Martine and her moods? The dinner, with her son and family? Going to the meal at her parents’ house, leaving? Her love for her husband?

8. Audrey, buying the dress for her mother, Louise’s advice, and her mother finally trying it on? Audrey and her friend, their discussions, telling her she was pregnant, the shop? The old lady, memories of her grandparents?

9. Tommy, suddenly arriving, the discussions, his being an artist, his attitude towards the pregnancy, favourable towards bringing up the child? Audrey and her hesitations? The intimacy between them, his going for the swim, yet the difficulty in commitment?

10. Audrey mellowing her mother, her mother reading the diary, realising after so many years that her mother did love her, was ambitious for her?

11. The open ending of the film, if the better relationship within the family, but a future for Audrey, her work, the child…?