To the film “Head over the Water”, directed by: Margaux Bonhommé, roles: Diane
Rouxel, Jeanne Cohendy, Cedric Kahn, photography: Julien Roux, editing: Vincent Delorme,
music: Pascal Humbert, France 2018
Pushing the mental and physical boundaries
The "Head over the Water" is a great title for the French director Margaux Bonhommé's debut film, because it captures in the best possible way all the meanings with which the film deals from one aspect or another. How to stay over the water, when the load is so heavy that it keeps pulling you down. How to deal with reasonableness, rationality, love, understanding, needs, happy or unhappy, how to keep your head up, when the challenge is so great, when nothing can be the same, when it’s a question not only the life of the other, but his own. How to act properly, not to hurt those you beloved, how to act properly, and not to ruin your own life.
Margaux Bonhommé, who is the author of the script, chooses a very difficult subject, about the life of the family with disabilities, succeeding in it showing so well the contrasts. Everyday life in such circumstances is constantly challenged, but Bonhommé, who has her own experience of that, what contributes to her so good and mature approach, manages to find the balance, and in just 83 minutes to show in such a way the extremes, who can not leave anyone indifferent. The happiness that the sister and father give to Manon is something truly remarkable, but also the other extreme, the disaster when at the time of tiredness, when the pain prevails, the dilemmas, the impossibility, the struggle to stay there, and the need to flee as far as possible.
The author starts from the story of 17-year-old Eliza, who is in the reversal of her life, who should leave for studies, building the whole drama and tension just about how to act, how to leave her sister, and how to deserted her father. But, how to stay. In fact, the whole drama comes after her mother decides that after 20 years she has the right to live. But then responsibility must come down by someone else. It is impossible at the same time to believe that you are doing good for yourself, but also that the daughter should not bear the burden, although both, like everything else, has both sides. Or what is the solution with which we can live without blaming others.
It's really amazing scenes in which Bonhomme shows that unconditional concern for Manon, that love that is given, the way that the father and Eliza make her happy, the way they enjoy her happiness, their unselfishness, their dedication. But just as she captures these moments of complete devotion, so fantastic the director manages to capture the tension, internal and external, emotional and rational. And you, too, are delighted with this humanity and fascinated by love, but you suffer equally with their suffering, when things are not as they need it. When the time comes for change, and that means pain, for Manon and for those around her.
With such a measure she manages to build characters, events, emotional breaks, accusations towards herself and others, with such a measure also brings moments when the pain is so great, that you cause on herself even greater pain. And here is the very insertion symbolism of climbing the rocks, because when you do not can the mental, then you can move the physical limits ... The film really causes tears, but not because it is pathetic, but because it is incredibly real. Bonhommé's photography, which previously worked as a cameraman, is truly brought to perfection, as well as editing and the rhythm or dynamics of events. She so keeps things right, so complementary, so layered, so strong, and so simple.
The roles of the two sisters, Diane Rouxel and Jeanne Cohendy are so good that you have the feeling that this is a documentary, true story that goes before your eyes. Outstanding achievements, which are definitely in the top, if we talk about this year's awards. Margaux Bonhommé, who previously worked as a director of photography, among others, with Wes Anderson on "The Life Aquatic of Steve Zissou", only shows how she can tell with her camera, catching all the details, all possible internal and external reactions, catching the spirit, the load, the mental state, catching life above and under the water with such a feeling, which touches the deepest, confronting us with the challenge of which she actually speaks. The challenge of life, when reality goes to such boundaries, in which there are no real solutions.
Suncica Unevska
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