The missing child

Saturday movie platforms - Alissa Musumeci

For some, the arrival of a child brings inexplicable joy, but for others it's short-lived. Perinatal grief shatters families, and can lead to the most distressing situations. Released at the end of 2020, this film bears witness, without embellishment, to the sadness, incomprehension and rage that this sudden death provokes in parents.

2h06 of film, but a lifetime to rebuild

This dramatic film spans just over two hours. The story itself and its pace hold the viewer's attention right up to the final credits. The film's key episodes are dated, making us aware of how long it takes to deal with this kind of situation. The structure of Pieces of a woman is very well constructed, with each sequence having its place. The birth and death of the child take place at the beginning of the film. The scene, which lasts around twenty minutes, is shot in sequence, allowing us to witness the mother's waiting and suffering, as well as the father's distress. The viewer feels more involved, as the camera is fixed. It's also worth noting that the birth takes place at home, which will later become a possible incriminating factor in the baby's death. The rest of the film is based on the repercussions of this shocking event.

A divided team

Sean (Shia LaBeouf) and Martha (Vanessa Kirby), the two highly fused protagonists, define themselves as a team. Decisions affecting their lives as a couple are discussed and made together. The death of Yvette, their newborn baby, causes them to diverge from each other. On the one hand, we have a mother willing to do anything to erase anything that reminds her of this tragedy. On the other, a father filled with sadness, who is nevertheless trying to rebuild a relationship with his daughter's mother. The couple no longer have the same vision of the future. Martha decides to let her desires and emotions dictate her days, and «offers» her daughter's body to medicine without Sean's consent. This is the beginning of the end. The young father realizes that he no longer has any influence over his partner's decisions, which amounts to a second tragedy. Wracked by sadness and alcohol, he has a brief relationship with Suzanne, a lawyer and relative of his in-laws. In fact, she is with Martha at the trial accusing the midwife of Yvette's death. Feeling out of place in Boston, Sean moves to Seattle.

The film's inspiration

The film's director, Kornél Mundruczó, has himself experienced perinatal bereavement. This episode became taboo for him and his wife, as the fear of confronting the subject grew ever greater. The two young parents realized that they had never really taken the time to discuss it. It was at this point that the idea for the feature film was born. Pieces of a Woman has an important aim: to encourage people to talk about their grief. Kata Wéber, screenwriter and wife of the director, unashamedly explains the therapies she underwent. She hasn't forgotten, but she has accepted. She has given herself the right to suffer openly without worrying about society's gaze, but above all to externalize her emotions in her own way, so that she can start living positively again. As Mundruczó explains, this film is a way of bringing their child into existence.

A little too much «woman» and not enough «man».»

All in all, a good film. The story is poignant and the viewer feels personally involved in the mourning. There is, however, a downside. The film, as its title suggests, focuses on Martha's reconstruction and daily life. This is understandable, as Mundruczó claims to have been inspired by his wife's writings, written in the wake of the loss of their son. The film would have been even more captivating if it had also shown, in detail, Sean's reconstruction, since in this kind of situation suffering is shared. A mother's love for her child is just as important as a father's, and Sean's day-to-day life is not given the same prominence as Martha's. It's clear that this young bereaved mother has a lot to learn from her father. It's clear that this grieving young mother is under more family and social pressure than her partner. Being from a Jewish family, her mother compares her experience of anti-Semitism to her current situation. However, I have the impression that the father is still too much associated with the image of the man who doesn't necessarily reveal his emotions and who has to be strong to support his wife, and that the mother too quickly becomes the main person concerned by the fate of a child.

Write to the author: alissa.musumeci@leregardlibre.com