Film Review: PETITE MAMAN (2021): Celine Sciamma’s Film is an Artistically Satisfying Portrait of Youth

Petite Maman Review

Petite Maman (2021) Film Review, a movie written and directed by Celine Sciamma and starring Josephine Sanz, Gabrielle Sanz, Nina Meurisse, Stephane Varupenne, Margot Abascal, Flores Cardo, Josee Schuller, Guylene Pean and Masoud Tosifyan.

French director Celine Sciamma is most noted for the remarkable 2019 film, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, but Sciamma’s latest picture, Petite Maman is even better. This new movie is an absolutely flawless work of art which surpasses all expectations. This new film creates a story which is layered and unique in nature yet also easy to absorb. It’s doubtful that many viewers could watch this movie without reflecting on the powerful impact of family and the complexity of their own childhood experiences–both good and bad.

As the film opens, we meet an 8-year-old girl named Nelly (Josephine Sanz) whose grandmother has passed away. Nelly is affected by the loss and says “goodbye” with heartfelt sincerity to the other elderly residents surrounding her. Nelly’s mother (Nina Meurisse) is soon seen driving a car as Nelly feeds her some snacks from the back seat. After a few mouthfuls, the young girl passes her mom a juice box to take a sip from. It’s a beautiful reflection of the way the daughter cares deeply for her mother.

Nelly’s mom and dad (Stephane Varupenne) are headed to the grandmother’s home to go through the deceased grandma’s belongings and settle the affairs that are left behind after a person passes. All of this proves to be a lot to handle for Nelly’s mom who soon departs from the house. Soon, Nelly meets another young girl in the woods who looks very similar to her. Her name is Marion (Gabrielle Sanz). They immediately form a bond as Nelly comes to help her with putting something together. It’s a fort. It wouldn’t be fair to give away a lot more of the plot details as part of the joy of experiencing this picture comes from embracing its unpredictability.

There are many wonderful scenes. Perhaps, the best one in the entire film is when one of our girls is being sung to. After the other two characters in the sequence finish singing her “happy birthday,” the girl requests that another rendition of the singing take place. It’s a haunting reminder of how precious moments can only last for so long and that life moves so much faster than we would like it to.

Another terrific scene comes with some moments between Nelly and her dad which  revolve around the father shaving. This sequence is very sweet and is symbolic of how the family is going to be starting over after the loss of the grandmother. A third standout scene in the movie is when Nelly and Marion ride a small boat and paddle out to a pyramid played to the beat of uplifting music which helps define this fantastic point in the picture where these two girls are exploring their surroundings. It’s a haunting moment and the pyramid could represent the way life’s revelations constantly shift between ups and downs. By reaching the pyramid, these girls have come to an understanding of the complexity of life.

Petite Maman is a movie about the importance of family and how the understanding of the early part of our parents’ lives who have come before us can help make life more complete. It is also about the unbreakable bond of a mother and a daughter. Another fabulous aspect of the picture comes when the two girls play the roles of other people and interact hilariously with one another thus highlighting the dreams of one of them. The themes of this picture are richly detailed and the movie is all the more successful as a result.

Of course, I have not given away some of the secrets of the plot. Some of the scenarios I have described may seem general and a bit vague and that is perfectly fine in a review of this particular movie. It is the interaction between the characters of Nelly and Marion which makes this such a splendid motion picture, however. Played to perfection by two real-life sisters–the Sanz sisters, these characters are certain to resonate with viewers. Mostly because of the movie’s brevity, I am not drawn to reveal more details of the particulars that make the film so amazing to behold. It must be seen to be appreciated.

Only by delving into the past of the lives of its characters can a movie demonstrate the importance of them to the degree that this film does. Family is the theme that runs throughout this movie and, without giving too much away, Nelly and Marion become a true family through their unbreakable emotional connection in this picture. And, through the revelations of the multi-faceted plot, it is virtually impossible not to be drawn in by this very powerful story. This is truly a masterfully made, absolutely unforgettable film.

Rating: 10/10

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