Friday, September 26, 2008

Il y a Longtemps Que Je T’aime (I've Loved You So Long)


I just LOVE French movies, they are so personal and I haven’t found other cinema that can touch your most sensible fibers as French cinema does. The stories they tell that totally allow you to see whatever is relevant to you the viewer, the amazing directors that slowly show the most little nuances of life, and the amazing actors performances that say everything without uttering many words.

Yes, this movie REALLY touched me because of the story I saw that has something to do with the story the movie tells, but not totally. To explain myself let me tell you what is the story about. After 15 years in jail Juliette (Kristin Scott Thomas) comes back to the outside world were everything not only seems foreign but there is not one moment were she and others can forget where she has been for the last 15 years. As a character says, she’s lucky as she has a place to go when most ex-prisoners have nowhere to go. She’s staying with her married sister Léa (Elsa Zylberstein). Slowly you will learn why she was in jail, why her sister took her in and many other little details.

To me the story is about any kind of prisons and when you’re finally able to release yourself things just get even harder and sometimes you’re able to overcome everything (like in the story the movie tells) but sometimes you just get into another kind of prison.

Anyway, I was “dying” to see this movie and believe me it highly surpassed my expectations as these two sisters drama is unbelievable strong no matter how you see it and basically Kristin Scott Thomas stole the movie with a truly amazing performance as the silent and very expressive Juliette; but great Elsa Zylberstein also is amazing as the kind and caring -yet troubled- sister.

This Philippe Claudel film that he also wrote has great cinematography and tech specs, but in my opinion this film is all about the story (BIG chapeau to Claudel the writer) and the two great actresses performances. The film was in competition for the Golden Bear at the 2008 Berlinale where won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury and the Reader Jury of the “Berliner Morgenpost”. Since then it has been screened in many fests, just browse the blog to find many.

This movie took me in such an emotional voyage that I’m absolutely exhausted, as allowed me to feel happy and sad at the same time. I wonder if any of you had/have a similar experience, but I wouldn’t be surprised if some of my known readers did too. Perhaps this is one of the most not objective reviews I have written, but it is impossible not to be subjective with this movie and story.

I strongly recommend this movie to all that love excellent French cinema and especially to all adult women in the world. Be aware that perhaps some you may shred a tear or two; for me it was an ocean of tears!

BIG ENJOY!!!

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