Displaying items by tag: Catherine Deneuve

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?

THE PRESIDENT’S WIFE/ BERNADETTE

France, 2023, 93 minutes, Colour.

Catherine Deneuve, Denis Podalydes, Michel Vuillermoz, Sarah Giraudeau, Laurent Stocker, Maud Wyler.

Directed by Lea Domenach.

A comedy with serious political undertones. And the question is: do audiences outside France know enough about the presidency of Jacques Chirac in the 1990s and early 2000s, aware of the career of his wife, Bernadette, and her influence. It will be very interesting to read the reviews to gauge how much is fact, how much is exaggeration, how much is comedy, how much is serious.

And, of course, to find out whether French audiences like the film or not, depending on their particular political perspectives, in the reassessing of Chirac’s presidency, the influence of the far right and Le Penne 20 years ago, the similarities with the pre-Olympics 2024 elections, the ins and outs of French politics.

The opening of the film is something of an eye and ear delight, a mixed choir, in robes, chanting with polyphony, initial information about who Bernadette was, her family lineage, her political career, her marriage to the future president, her determination, the place of women in French politics in the 19^th century, and her husband’s infidelities.

And who better to portray Bernadette Chirac than the doyen of French actresses, Catherine Deneuve, the film released as she turned 80, remembering her rather brilliant career, headlining film credits for 60 years. And, at various stages, she was the image symbol of France, Marianne.

Catherine Deneuve gives a commanding performance as Bernadette even though so often she is at the command, the phone beck and call of her ambitious husband. She has had something of a local political career, her husband is a political male chauvinist, becoming increasingly alarmed at her upfront presence in his campaigns, in her social work, establishing a hospital, television appearances, music and sports stars eager to support her charities.

It needs to be said that the portrait of Jacques Chirac in this film is exceedingly one-dimensional, preoccupied with power, upset at his wife’s increasing public presence, something of the moving equivalent of newspaper cartoons. And, in many ways, that is how his supporters are presented – the exception being Nicholas Sarkozy and his moves against Chirac but who was in line to succeed him.

One of the very interesting characters, but also one-dimensional, is the Chirac’s daughter, Claude, 110% committed to her father’s political career, rather humourless, single-minded, critical of her mother and also trying to control her, but the suggestion that she have a mentor. He is played by Dennis Podylades, the other multi-dimensional character in the film, a touch pedantic, politically shrewd, public relations savvy, becoming a good friend and supporter of Bernadette.

The film is comparatively brief, indicates the timeline with continued jumps of several years from 1995 to the mid-2000’s.

Whether an audience outside France would be eager to see the film is a question. The obvious attraction is Catherine Deneuve. It may well be interesting to make political comparisons with campaigns of other countries (it is the era of Clinton at first, with a visit from Hillary Clinton to France – but there is no mention of George Bush.)

Entertaining in its way but comparatively slight.

1. For a French audience? For those outside France? Knowledge of Jacques Chirac? Of Bernadette?
2. The settings, Paris, the political world, society world, campaigns, hospital promotion, of the family, political work behind the scenes? The musical score?
3. Catherine Deneuve, her status, portraying a public figure, age, appearance, fashion and style?
4. The actual story of Jacques Chirac and his wife, the long marriage, his character, single-minded, philandering, dominating his wife, phone calls, expectations, his resenting her being in the limelight, pushing her out of view, her success, his harsh reactions, politicking, her role in the campaigns? His election, his staff, his reliance on Claude managing his business, the resentments against Sarkozy, barracking at the football match, phoning his wife, intervening, his stroke, his retirement?
5. Bernadette, local politics, her involvement, popularity, her reaction to her husband, expectations, his affairs, her patience, expressing her views, Claude’s reaction, advising the mentor, Bernadette response, collaborating with him, the hospital, the entertainment and sports stars, publicity, meetings, events? Her relationship with Laurence, her illness, her concern, passed over by her husband, gradually emerging, her support of Sarkozy after meeting with him, given her former resentments?
6. The mentor, character, task, responding well to Bernadette, their collaboration, improving her style, appearance, public functions, charities, achievement?
7. Her daughters, Claude and her strictness, devoted to her father, referring to him as the president? Is one, her past illness, her concern, her daughter’s resentment and reactions?
8. The politicos, their characters, yes-men to Iraq, and vice, situations, elections and campaigns, the far right and its success? Supporting Sarkozy?
9. Political comment, the light touch, comic, satiric?