L’EVENEMENT/  HAPPENING

France, 2021, 98 minutes, Colour.

Anamaria Vartolomei, Casey Mottet Klein, Sandrine Bonnaire, Anna Mouglalis, Pio Marmai.

Directed by Audrey Diwan.

Happening is one of the meanings of the French title, also meaning an event, or an occurrence.

The happening/event/occurrence in this film is pregnancy. And, then more specifically, abortion.

It is based on an autobiographical novel by Annie Ernaux and is set in the early 1960s, in France, in a very different period from later decades and the changes in abortion legislation.

A film on this topic would be approached in many different ways. Adamant pro-life advocates will oppose it. Those in favour of abortion rights will be in favour of it. There is also the position of being pro-life but being concerned about legislation and the abuses from what used to be referred to as “backyard abortions”. Whatever the stance, a story like this, a film like this, serves as conversation point, discussion material, dramatising the human and lived experiences of the pregnant woman and the experience of the abortion.

Which is what happens here. Anne (Anamaria Vartolomei) is in her early 20s, a top student, ambitious to go to university, living in a college dorm, visiting her parents, simple people, at home. Anne is not an entirely likeable character all, self-preoccupied, sometimes moody and petulant. She tends to dominate her friends. She tends to feel herself a bit superior. And, she enjoys the social life, out dancing, flirting.

She finds it difficult to admit to herself that she is pregnant, denying it to a friendly doctor, asking for help from a sympathetic-seeming doctor whose medication in fact strengthens the fetus. And this is where the film becomes a drama of desperation, remembering that it is the early 1960s, information not readily available,  Anne searching for knowledge in books, experimenting with primitive ways to force a miscarriage.

Eventually, the film does give some background as to how Anne became pregnant, her relationship with the young man whom she visits but who abandons her. However, a close friend at college puts her on to another friend, and the address of an abortionist – which leads to a severe screen experience of sharing the abortion with Anne.

There are further complications, harrowing and painful for Anne.

And, at the time, there were severe legal penalties for the woman undergoing abortion, for any abortionist and for those who aided and abetted. In the succeeding decades, there has been legislation abortion in many countries – although, as in the United States, there are some moves to reverse the more liberal legislation.

A women’s audience will watch the film with some empathy – and it will be a challenge for a men’s audience to watch and reflect on.

1. Based on an actual story, by the author of the book, a story of the early 1960s?
2. The title, pregnancy as an event, as a happening? Abortion as a happening?
3. The 1960s setting, homes, studies and classes, student dormitories, clubs, 60s dancing, doctors’ offices, the abortionist and her home, the rooms? Musical score?
4. Audience identification with Anne? The female point of view? Author, writer, director?
5. And story, her age, studies, intelligent, good marks, ambitions, prospects of university? At home, her loving parents, wanting the best, the simple lives? Her friends, peers, dressing to go out, dancing, flirting, talking with boys? Anne and her relationship with Jean? Other girls in the class, looking down on her?
6. The issue of pregnancy, going to the doctor, her denial, the friendly doctor, moral disapproval, refusal to act? The next doctor, the tablets, his deception, tablets for strengthening the fetus? The revelation of the truth, the friend from Bordeaux, phone calls, the later visit, his friends, telling him the truth, not supporting her?
7. Books, research, lack of knowledge, the law, prison, for the woman, for those aiding and abetting? Her attempts to miscarry?
8. Her worrying, fretting, with her parents, her mother slapping her? Later embracing her, listening to the comedy on radio? The distance from her friends? The lower marks, the confrontation with the lecturer? Prospects of failing?
9. Her choices, not wanting to keep the baby, wanting to have a successful academic life? Self-preoccupied? Moody and petulant? Her friends? Helene telling her of the affair with a married man? Brigitte is a country girl, talking about sex, simulating, prospects in life?
10. Asking help from Jean, his reluctance, seeming rejection, later contact, the address, talking with the girl and had the abortion? The issue of money, selling her books and jewellery? The friendship with the man from the fire brigade, the sexual encounter with him?
11. The phone call, making the appointment, the abortionist, her home, the rooms, equipment, hygiene? Stern personality? Urging Anne not to cry out? The procedure, the details, the pain?
12. Return home, the failure of the procedure, her pain, going back, consenting to further procedures? At home, pain, going to the bathroom, the miscarriage? Olivia, helping her, cutting the release? Anne unable to do this?
13. The discussions with the lecturer, explaining the situation bleakly, his giving her the lecture notes, her study?
14. The end, going into the exam, her prospects, her future, the long-term consequences of the abortion?