Ponette
Ponette is a 1996 French film directed by Jacques Doillon. The film centers on four-year-old Ponette (Victoire Thivisol), who is coming to terms with the death of her mother in a car crash.
| Ponette | |
|---|---|
 French theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Jacques Doillon |
| Produced by | Alain Sarde |
| Written by | Jacques Doillon |
| Starring | Victoire Thivisol Claire Nebout |
| Music by | Philippe Sarde |
| Cinematography | Caroline Champetier |
| Edited by | Jacqueline Lecompte |
| Distributed by | BAC Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 97 minutes |
| Country | France |
| Language | French |
| Budget | €2.7 million[1] |
| Box office | $3.9 million[1] |
The film received acclaim for Thivisol's performance, who was only four at the time of filming.
Plot
Before the film begins, Ponette's mother dies in a car crash, which Ponette herself survives with only a broken arm (she consequently must wear an arm cast).
Following her mother's death, Ponette's father (Xavier Beauvois) leaves the young girl with her Aunt Claire (Claire Nebout), and her cousins Matiaz (Matiaz Bureau Caton) and Delphine (Delphine Schiltz). Ponette and her cousins are later sent to a boarding school. There the loss of her mother becomes even more harsh and painful when she is mocked on the playground for being motherless.[2]
Not yet having come to terms with her mother's death, Ponette searches for her.[2] Ponette becomes increasingly withdrawn, and spends most of her time waiting for her mother to come back.
When waiting alone fails, Ponette enlists the help of her school friend Ada (Léopoldine Serre) to help her become a "child of God" to hopefully convince God to return her mother, in vain.
In the end, Ponette visits a cemetery and cries for her mother, who suddenly appears to comfort her and ask her to live her life and not be sad all the time. Her mother (played by Marie Trintignant) says she cannot keep coming back, so Ponette must move on and go be happy with her father.
Then it appears that her mother gives her a sweater that she did not bring to the cemetery, and her father comments when he sees her that "I haven't seen that sweater in a while".
Cast
- Victoire Thivisol as Ponette
- Delphine Schiltz as Delphine
- Matiaz Bureau Caton as Matiaz
- Léopoldine Serre as Ada
- Marie Trintignant as Mother
- Xavier Beauvois as Father
- Claire Nebout as Aunt Claire
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 91%, based on 22 reviews, with an average rating of 8.2/10.[3]
Accolades
| Award / Film Festival | Category | Recipients and nominees | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Board of Review Award | Top Foreign Films | Won | |
| New York Film Critics Circle Award | Best Foreign Language Film | Won | |
| Online Film Critics Society Award | Best Foreign Language Film | Nominated | |
| Online Film & Television Association Award | Best Breakthrough Performance - Female | Victoire Thivisol | Won |
| Best Foreign Language Film | Nominated | ||
| São Paulo International Film Festival | Critics Prize | Won | |
| Satellite Award | Best Foreign Language Film | Nominated | |
| Society of Texas Film Critics Awards | Best Foreign Film | 2nd place | |
| Venice Film Festival | Volpi Cup for Best Actress | Victoire Thivisol | Won |
| FIPRESCI Prize | Won | ||
| OCIC Award | Won | ||
| Sergio Trasatti Award | Won | ||
| Golden Lion | Nominated | ||
| Young Artist Award | Best Family Foreign Film | Won | |
| Best Young Performer in a Foreign Film | Victoire Thivisol | Won |
