Displaying items by tag: Andrea Riseborough

FUNNY BIRDS

France/Belgium, 2024, 97 minutes, Colour.

Catherine Deneuve, Andrea Riseborough, Morgan Saylor, Naima Hebrail Kidjo, John Robinson, Joseph Ollivennes, Ken Samuels, Maria McClurg.

Directed by Hanna Ladoul, Marco La Via.

 Funny Birds is a funny title, funny with humour, but also funny peculiar. Does it refer to the chickens that Laura, Andrea Riseborough, has rescued after they are too old for the big chicken runs and fosters them, collecting the eggs and marketing them with her own brand? Or does it refer to Laura herself, her young daughter Charlie, who is at college and comes back to look after her mother and work with her, her mother becoming ill?

And, there is the question of the presence of Catherine Deneuve in this film. And she is a very welcome presence. We remember that Catherine Deneuve has been headlining films since 1964, the just over 60 years. And, on checking her age, she was 79 when she made this film. And it is not generally the kind of film that she appears in. This is a small film, quiet, a focus on women and empathy for them, and a role in which she can enjoy herself, a character who was at home in the 1960s but is still at home in the 2020s. In many ways she is quite a funny bird.

In fact, this is a French or Belgian coproduction, filmed in Europe, English language, but an American story, the chicken farm in New Jersey.

The plot is fairly straightforward, Laura and the chickens, her becoming ill, her daughter, Charlie, Morgan Saylor, coming home to stay with her, work with her, look after her. There are two sympathetic neighbours who help with the distribution of the eggs, the wife pregnant. The main complication, quite a complication in fact, is an epidemic of bird flu and how to handle the situation, conceal the hens from the local sheriff and his by-the-book offsider.

And, then, there is Solange, Catherine Deneuve, suddenly turning up quite unexpectedly to the audience and to Charlie and her mother, Solange abandoning Laura when she was very young and in the world with more than a touch of New Age explorations. But, Solange enters into the life of the farm, fascinating to see Catherine Deneuve out there with the chickens, working in the garden, gradually bonding with small detail with her daughter and granddaughter plus a whole lot of those New Age traditions, including medicinal cannabis.

One could say that there is no major reason for seeing Funny Brids but, should you come across it, and are interested in a sympathetic/ edmpathetic focus on the story on three generations of women, it is quite enjoyable.

1. The title, the reference to the chickens, their background, cared for by the women? The women as funny birds?
2. French-Belgian coproduction, an American story, some French background? The New Jersey setting, the farm, the countryside, the neighbours? But filmed in Europe? The musical score, the songs?
3. The situation, Laura, her age, caring for the chickens, rescuing the old hens, caring for them, in the house, in the barn, outside, feeding them? The eggs, packing them, her brand? Making a living?
4. The arrival of Charlie, relationship with her mother, the tensions, her mother ill, coming to care for her, work on the farm? Her studies, the allusion to her father, his interest in business, the business studies? Her age, her boyfriend and his visit? Her commitment to working with her mother?
5. The film’s focus on the details of work on the farm, with the chickens, the eggs, packing, distribution, the garden, the vegetables? The details of life on the farm, the mother and daughter, home life, meals and cooking, the support?
6. Laura and her illness, the visits to the doctor, losing her hair, Charlie and the discussions about the wig, cutting her hair, shaving her mother’s head, shaving her own? The growing bonds between the two?
7. The arrival of Solange, the presence of Catherine Deneuve, age, background, travelling the world, the theories, sustaining, feminist…? Charlie’s puzzle, never having heard of her grandmother, her mother’s reaction, angers, trying to ignore Solange?
8. Solange, her personality, no background explanations, allusions to her past, helping Laura, working with Charlie, hands on with the work, the change of attitude, the growing bonds between them, enjoying each other’s company, the meals, helping Laura?
9. Joanna and Sebastin, neighbours, helping with the distribution of the eggs, Joanna pregnant?
10. The issue of the bird flu, the decision to hide the birds, but not tell Laura? Newspaper headlines, concealing them from Laura? Sebastian, unwilling to help, and Joanna and her pregnancy, continuing to help, ultimately becoming too much?
11. The arrival of the sheriff, Solange and her approach, his serious deputy? Solange, the dates, stopping him coming into the house?
12. The birthday celebration, the cake, the dancing? The aftermath? Solange disappearing?
13. The end of the epidemic, the chickens coming out again, join and the birth of the baby?
14. The postcard from Solange, her sending the letter to the sheriff confessing to selling the chickens to get the money, saving Laura and Charlie from exposure? The postcard just with the destination – and the joke about getting a passport to go there?
15. Laura, recovery, happiness in her life and work, Charlie and her studies, hope for the future?

LEE

UK/US, 2024, 117 minutes, Colour.

Kate Winslet, Andy Samberg, Alexander Skarsgaard, Marion Cotillard, Andrea Riseborough, Noemi Merlant, Josh O'Connor, James Murray.

Directed by Ellen Kuras.

A film about a significant war corresponded, World War II. Lee was released at the time of the first anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel, October 2023, world audiences seeing a year of invasion, bombings, destruction, Israel’s invasion revenge, the deaths of so many Palestinians followed by the bombings and invasion of Lebanon. Audiences worldwide depend on war correspondents and war photographers for these images and information.   2023-2024, more than 200 wounded and dying on the job.

Lee is Lee Miller, a one-time model, turned photographer, an American who spent a lot of time pre-World War II in France and travelling, developing her talents as a photographer, links with artists and French society. She is played by Kate Winslet, reminding us that for almost 30 years Kate Winslet has been a significant screen presence in film and television, multi-award-winning. As expected, this is a very strong and persuasive performance.

The film opens with some war action, Lee Miller, explosions, after the D-Day invasion. But, after showing her with her friends in France, the film moves to 1977, the older Lee Miller being interviewed by a young man, Josh O’Connor, about her war experiences, their examining a lot of the photo she took leading to flashbacks building up  e herxperiences during the war years, and the device for returning to 1977 for some kind of break and, with some of the war experiences, some breathing space and relief for the audience.

Lee Miller went to London at the beginning of the war with artist Roland Penrose (Alexander Skarsgaatd). She offered her services for Vogue magazine, under the editorship of Audrey Withers (Andrea Riseborough). She was able to visit some camps, photograph service men and women, link up with David Scherman of Life Magazine (a surprisingly serious performance from comedian Andy Sandberg). The British would not employ her but, as an American, she worked with the American military, in action in San Malo, entering Paris when it was liberated, some harrowing sequences as she sought out her prewar friend and discovered their occupation experiences, also discovering the disappearance of so many thousands, especially Jews.

The most harrowing part of the film is when she and David travel from France through Western Europe to the German border, an experience of Hitler’s hideout (and the serious/comic episode with Hitler’s bath), and, most tellingly, the concentration camps, the trains with corpses, the prisoners in their pyjama-striped uniforms, Lee continually photographing, and especially the sadness, the pathos of the faces of the women and children who suffered.

There is an explanation of the interview sequences at the end, information about Lee Miller, the re-discovery of her photos in the 1970s, book, photo publication – and, as usual now in such films, many of the actual photos shown during the final credits along with the episodes from the film.

Important for memories of World War II. Important for the 21^st-century, the number of wars, the war correspondent, their courage, sharing the up-close details of their experiences, dangers, deaths.

1. Lee Miller? As a person, as a photographer, as a war photographer?
2. The portrait by Kate Winslet, a long career, portraying variety of personalities? Awards? Embodying Lee Miller in the 1930s, in the 1940s and the war experience, the retrospective of 1977?
3. Audience knowledge of Lee Miller, her work during the war, British Vogue not publishing her photos, American Vogue publishing them? After the war, the opinion in Britain that people should not be too disturbed? Her photos and memories in the attic? Her son finding them, writing the book, publication?
4. The opening of the film, the war sequence in France, the dangers, the rescue? The sequence repeated later? Indication for the war correspondent?
5. 1977, Lee being interviewed, audiences realising it was her son or not? The interaction between the two, the questions for Lee, his looking at the photos, the impact of the revelations for him? Her finally asking him questions, his growing up, her distance, that she was not a successful mother, memories of his father, the discovery of the photos, the impact on him? The final glimpse, looking out the window, turning, and her not being there? Information about her death?
6. The 1977 sequences as a framework for the flashbacks? And as some relief for the audience immersed in the war experiences, the interview sequences as moments for a breather and relief?
7. Lee, a model, her career, her French friends, in France, on the coast, the holidays together, Lee taking local photos, atmosphere of the 30s, freedom of expression, comfortable nudity? The discussions about Hitler, but not expecting his victory? The situation for France? For Britain? The company, Picasso and the artists? Atmosphere?
8. Roland arriving, the initial interaction, painter, paint on his hands? Her analysis of his character? His analysis of hers? Up the steps from the beach? His invitation to come to London, the war, the blitz, the interview with Audrey at Vogue, the irritating presence of Cecil Beaton? Roland and his work, conscientious objector, camouflage? His moving away to location? Her signing up, photography, at the camp, the women’s quarters, the officer? Women being excluded? Her going into the briefing, disguise, the Colonel and his reaction? Eventually transferring her to France?
9. Work at Vogue, the photos, the support of Audrey? The role of the magazine during the war? Lee and her contacts with Audrey during the war, the comfort of England compared with the war front, especially in liberated Paris, the discovery about the disappearing Jews, her friends, Solange disappearing, Lee finding her again and their talk? The emergence of Paul and his wife, Jews in hiding? The plane flying over and his poem been distributed? Emotional impact for Lee? Trying to communicate this to Audrey?
10. The encounter with David, Life Magazine, his mirror shining the light on the women workers? Friendship, their bonding, in England, his access, her limitations, friendship with Roland, inviting him to stay at the house? His reminder that she was an American, the British refusing permissions, her getting American permissions? Their going to occupied France, the battle sequence and the dangers? The discovering the realities, the people in poverty, the young woman and her romance with a German, the hostilities of the locals, the later sequence of the women, the shaving of the heads?
11. The various photos from France, the medical centres, the wounded, the doctors, the GI with his face masked in the photo?
12. To liberated Paris, driving through, the exhilaration, the photos? Roland and his visit, wanting her to go back to London? His not appreciating what she had experienced?
13. The bonding with David, the vehicle, driving through Western Europe, to the German border, Hitler’s house, their bribing their way in with cigarettes, the letter, the bath, the photo in the bath with Hitler’s picture? David and his wariness? His eventual weeping?
14. The horror of the concentration camps, the arrival, the smell, the soldiers, the train, the carriage with dead decaying bodies, the bodies laid out, concentration camp clothes? The waiting with the cart with the bread? Lee following the woman, the group of women and children, the bread, the nervous little girl, photographed?
15. London, the magazine, please photos not there, her angry confrontation of Audrey, her coming down, Audrey sending the photos to get Vogue America?
16. 1977, Antony and his looking at the photos, the discussions with his mother, the impact of the war experience? The aftermath, his work with his father, the book, publication? His father’s death? The setting up of the foundation?
17. The final credits, the actual photos, the information about Lee and her death, Roland, Antony?
18. The film released in September/October 2024 at the time of the one-year anniversary of the Hamas atrocity in Israel, Israel’s response in Gaza?