Emotional discovery

Often one forgets that there are also movies which manage to take simple social issues and portray them beautifully in a commercial way. ‘All is Forgiven’, a French movie by Mia Hansen-Love, which was recently screened at the Alliance Francaise was one such film. For many it was one of the first French film but very few knew that this was Mia Hansen-Love’s first feature film as well.

Set in spring time in Vienna, the story revolves around Victor, a man failed of literary ambitions, who lives with his wife Annette and their six-year-old daughter, Pamela and Annette’s large extended family. Their’s is a marriage which gets violent at times, as Victor’s failure often results in volatile temper and his heroin addiction gets the best of him. He flees from his responsibilities, spending his days and nights outside.

Annette, on the other hand, trusts that once they return to Paris, Victor will be able to get back to his feet. But upon their return to France, Victor keeps on with his bad habits and the downward spiral continues. After a violent argument, he leaves his family and starts living with a junkie with whom he falls in love. Meanwhile, Annette loses hope and vanishes with Pamela. Now, 11 years later, 17-year old Pamela, still living with her mother in Paris, discovers that her father is in town and seeks him out in an effort to rekindle their relationship.

Many liked the emotional quotient and the colourful lensing in the film. The background music was also enjoyed by a few. “I really liked the Scottish folk tunes. It gave the feel of the film and brought out the mood of the scene very well. We should have more such screenings and movies like these should reach out to a larger audiences,” commented one of the guests.